


Kuroo Tetsurou and his Merry Band of Cats

by Stacysmash



Series: Robin Hood AU [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Betrayal, Comedy, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, Eventual Smut, Eventual violence, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Character Death, Minor Ennoshita Chikara/Tanaka Ryuunosuke, Original Character(s), Past Tendou Satori/Semi Eita - Freeform, Rare Pairings, Robin Hood AU with Haikyuu characters, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Slow Burn, Smut, minor Yukie/Kaori, more sneaky ships popping in as the story goes on
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-04
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-01-29 09:16:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 108,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12627804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stacysmash/pseuds/Stacysmash
Summary: A smirk curled on his friend’s face, and he swept a hand through his unruly raven locks permanently splayed in the air from his strange sleeping habits. “What did you find? Come on, you’re killing me!”Kenma bit his lip as he gazed back at his friend, who was sitting forward eagerly to hear the news. “He’s back..” he mumbled.Kuroo cocked his head and leaned closer. “Huh? Who’s back? Speak louder.”Kenma shut his eyes and mumbled a little louder, “Daichi….Master Daichi is back at the castle. I saw him in the garden staring at the Oak...your Oak.” When a heavy silence followed his hurried explanation, he peeked his eyes open to gauge his friend’s reaction.The smirk was no longer present on his friend’s face, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and hope.“Daichi? He’s…...he’s back?”





	1. Chapter 1

Master Daichi stepped through the fragrant gardens of the castle, feeling as if he had stepped into a reoccurring dream. It had been so many years since he’d last been there, and he was surprised Prince Satori had maintained the gardens so well. Daichi grimaced at the thought of his Uncle putting more importance on surrounding himself with beauty and riches when most of the kingdom was barreling into ruin. He was not even sure why the Prince had invited him back to the castle after forcing him away immediately after King Wakatoshi blustered off to fight a neighboring kingdom. His man-in-waiting, Suga, hinted that he probably wanted to keep a closer eye on him since Daichi was beloved by the people wherever he went, and in the same breath hinted that Daichi should be extremely careful.  
Daichi continued down the path surrounded by waving petals in shades of pink, purple, and white, some drifting down to the ground like jewels raining down from heaven. He felt like it would be easy to shut out the world in a place like this, but it wasn’t the overly fragrant flowers or the majestic hedges he was here for. It wasn’t until he found himself nearly to an ornate gate that brushed against the forest that he stopped, his mouth curling into a warm smile. Before him was an old but mighty oak tree, firm branches stretching out into the garden and over the wall, its leaves healthy and bright green. He ducked his head as he crept toward it, the leaves and twigs tickling his short black hair. As he reached the thick trunk he placed his palm on the rough bark, and he circled around the back between the trunk and the wall. Completely hidden from view was a messy heart carved into the tree with two sets of initials inside: KT & SD. Daichi’s eyes looked sad as he gazed on the carving, his fingers tracing the crude dents in the bark. Trapped in a world of nostalgia he did not even sense a pair of catlike eyes staring at him from atop the wall, shielded by a few of the branches. A slender young man draped in a green cloak crept a little closer, his eyes widening under his hood as he took in the scene. Without a sound, he leaped off the wall onto the other side and scurried into the forest.  
The young man quickly picked his way through the trees devoid of any path. Not even the birds or other creatures were disturbed by his presence as he hastily came upon a small clearing blocked by thick trees and hedges. In the middle of the clearing was a campfire smoldering with a big pot suspended above it, smoke curling out of the top and disappearing into the air. The sound of a fiddle being plucked away lazily was accompanied by the sound of wooden swords clanking together.  
“Block, Lev, how many times do I have to tell you?!”  
“Ouch! You didn’t have to whack my hand so hard, Yaku-san!”  
“Well, how else are you going to learn? Get your sword up!”  
The cloaked lad paid them no mind as he picked his way around his friends until he came to a long lanky figure laying back against a log, his arms crossed behind his head, his face covered by a feathered cap. His chest rose and fell gently under his forest green tunic, and the young man debated waking his friend from his afternoon nap, knowing how grumpy he gets when disturbed. He sighed as he accepted his fate, knowing his news was too important to delay, and gently nudged his friend’s rib cage with his foot.  
“Kuro….come on, get up,” he mumbled, hoping his foot would do the trick. A groan leaked out of the hat as the tall, sleepy man shifted a bit, and then flopped over on his side, showing his friend his back. With a click of his tongue, the smaller man knelt down and gripped onto his arm, shaking him with a bit more force.  
“Kurooooooooo, get up!” He said a bit louder.  
With a growl the laying figure lurched up, the hat falling from his face revealing Kuroo’s grumpy face as he narrowed his typically sly eyes at his friend.  
“What gives, Kenma? This had better be good.” He yawned deeply as he stretched his long arms above his head. “You were barely away, you must have located a payload!”  
Kenma glanced away toward the fire and scratched the side of his face. “Well, not exactly…”  
Kuroo lifted an eyebrow quizzically. “Then why’d you come back so quick? Are you tired? Do we need to send Fukunaga out instead?”  
Kenma shook his head, his blonde locks hitting his face as he did so. “No, I’m not tired, it’s just that I found something when I was on top of the garden wall.”  
A smirk curled on his friend’s face, and he swept a hand through his unruly raven locks permanently splayed in the air from his strange sleeping habits. “What did you find? Come on, you’re killing me!”  
Kenma bit his lip as he gazed back at his friend, who was sitting forward eagerly to hear the news. “He’s back..” he mumbled.  
Kuroo cocked his head and leaned closer. “Huh? Who’s back? Speak louder.”  
Kenma shut his eyes and mumbled a little louder, “Daichi… Master Daichi is back at the castle. I saw him in the garden staring at the Oak... _your_ Oak.” When a heavy silence followed his hurried explanation, he peeked his eyes open to gauge his friend’s reaction.  
The smirk was no longer present on his friend’s face, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and hope.  
“Daichi? He’s… he’s back?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, I’m definitely going for this one! I’ve already got a lot of it planned out so I’m excited.  
> *Update* I'm going through this story trying to fix some silly mistakes I made, and I can't fix the line spacing for the life of me. I beg of you to ignore it and hopefully you can enjoy the story. I figure weird spacing is better than stupid grammar issues and replaced words.

Daichi stood in front of the open window and gazed out into the pale morning light, shivering as a cool breeze trickled through and crept across his skin. He smiled as he reached down to peel off his sleep shirt and threw it on his chair. He loved quiet mornings like this, especially within the castle walls. When he was a young boy, he was always up before the sun and would sneak along the vast hallways, jumping out of the shadows in an attempt to frighten the servants, and never succeeding. Sometimes he would make it all the way up to the tower aviary and visit with the birds that were sent out to carry messages throughout the kingdom. The castle was filled with the fondest memories of his childhood. He hoped its present state would not fill him with unpleasant ones.  
After slipping off his sleep pants, he yanked his tunic over his head as goosebumps had begun to invade every bit of exposed skin. It was hardly over his head when there was a quick knock at the door and Sugawara burst through.  
“S-Suga!” Daichi cried as he hunched down to cover his naked thighs with his tunic. “You can’t just come in, I’m changing!”  
Suga burst out laughing at his blushing master crouched in nothing but a tunic.

“I’m your assistant, Daichi, your man-in-waiting. I’m supposed to dress you! And it’s not like I’ve never seen a naked man before,” He said with a smirk as he crossed the room with purpose.  
“I can dress myself,” Daichi grumped, still crouched and trying to shuffle away from his friend.  
“Yes, you’re doing a fine job. Are you going to wear that shirt backwards all day?”  
Daichi straightened up in surprise and looked down.

“This isn’t how it goes?”  
The silver-haired man snorted.

“Nope! Now stop being a baby and let me dress you like a man.”  
Daichi rolled his eyes but nodded, his cheeks still tinged pink. He allowed Suga to yank his arms out of the sleeves and turn his shirt around, his face turned toward the window with his lips still in a slight pout. When Suga brought his pants over and tried to put his foot through he yelped and hopped back.  
“I can at least put my own pants on!”  
Suga straightened and held it out, his eyebrow cocked high. Feeling no confidence from the other man, Daichi snatched the pants out of his hand and attempted to shove his foot through. In his huffy state though it got caught up in the twisted leg and he was forced to hop on one foot until his leg finally pushed through. When he finally stood up with his pants completely on, he turned to face Suga with a smug grin. His expression fell immediately though when he saw his  _friend_  trying to hold in his laughter.  
“W-Well done, my Lord,” he chuckled out from behind his hand. “With such a feat conquered so early in the day, you must be famished!”  
Daichi gave him a gentle punch on the arm as he swiped the belt off the bed. This time he allowed Suga to help him without protest, and soon he was completely dressed, looking as high born as a prince (which being the nephew of the royal family, he wasn’t too far off). Regardless of it being embarrassing, Daichi was relieved that his mentor Ukai Keishin had sent Suga with him, who despite being a decent fighter was much more useful with his knowledge of social etiquette. When he lived within the boundaries of Karasuno Village, Daichi mainly wore clothing for hunting and sparring and was a little out of his element when it came a nobleman’s attire and manners, which were more in line with what was expected of him within the castle walls.  
Suga clapped him unnecessarily hard against the shoulder with a satisfied smile.

“You’re all set! We should hurry, you wouldn’t want to be late for breakfast.”  
Daichi shrugged as they left the comfort of his room into the vast hallway adorned with elaborate tapestries.

“Why would it even matter?”  
Suga rolled his eyes.

“Because you’re living in the castle now as a guest of the Prince. It wouldn’t do to keep him waiting.” He glanced sideways at Daichi and leaned in, speaking in barely a whisper. “And remember what I said... _no stepping on his toes_. I know you want to fix things here, but you can’t help if you’re thrown in a jail cell, or worse.”  
“What could be worse?”  
“Would you rather be thrown into the stockade and have rotten fruit thrown at your face? Or sold as a slave to a neighboring kingdom. Oh! Or beheaded?” He said the last statement a bit too cheerfully for Daichi’s taste.  
“Ok… no stepping on toes. Got it.”  
Suga nodded his approval and they continued toward the dining hall. To their relief, they were the first to arrive. It was not proper to be seated and begin eating until his uncle Prince Satori did so, so he wandered over to a great window looking out onto the grand forest spread out in shades of vibrant green, gold, and crimson. The forest would seem to go on forever if it was not for the mist covered mountains looming high in the distance. Daichi smiled at the beautiful sight, his feet itching to explore the lands he had conquered as a young boy. Back in those days his uncle King Wakatoshi would take time out of his schedule of ruling the kingdom just to show him the paths, teach him how to use a bow and fish out of the rushing streams. His face fell as he remembered his beloved uncle, at that moment in a far-off land and fighting an enemy to keep them safe. And here he was, sucking up to his other uncle who preferred courtly manipulation and greed as opposed to the gentle purity of nature.  
“Oh ho! Look at my early bird of a nephew, arriving before me. I’m so proud!” Daichi turned to see Prince Satori in his maroon velvet robes sashay into the room, his guards following silently behind him. Daichi and Suga bowed low in reverence.  
“Your Majesty, I hope you slept well,” Daichi postured in what he hoped was a polite enough tone.  
“Yes, thank you! I had a delightful dream that made me feel fantastic this morning!”  
“Oh?”  
“It was fantastic, but of course I’ve forgotten it all already, so no matter. Come on, I’m starving.”  
The Prince led the conversation easily, only allowing Daichi a few peppered acknowledgments and questions, which was fine with him. He had always been uneasy around the younger of his two royal uncles. It seemed as though the glittering heavy-lidded eyes could read his mind and the sneer that followed typically reinforced that idea.  
“So, we will have a banquet in two days to celebrate your return!”  
Daichi nearly choked on his water, earning a glare from Suga from across the room. “Oh, your Majesty, that’s not really necessary. I wouldn’t want to put you out.”  
The Prince waved his hand dismissively with a half-eaten roll in the other.

“Nonsense! The entire royal court will be there, and the feast will be the greatest we’ve had in years. After all, I’m pretty sure a few of the ladies have been  _dying_  to meet you,” his bright red eyebrows moved up and down his forehead suggestively.  
Daichi felt his cheeks grow hot and he cleared his throat.

“Oh, yes, that’s um... nice.”  
He picked his water glass up again, hoping his uncle would once again change the subject. He felt the piercing eyes boring through him, feeling like someone had dumped him into a partially frozen lake. Since Prince Satori had not said anything more by the time he put his glass down, he brought his eyes up to meet his uncle’s and gave a polite smile.  
“I’m sure it’ll be a wonderful banquet, your Majesty. I am really looking forward to it.”  
The prince perked up and clapped his hands in joy.

“Fantastic! Shirabuuuuuu! Shiiiiiirabuuuuu!”  
“I’m right here your Majesty,” said a quiet and borderline irritated young guard with an asymmetrical bowl cut standing right behind the Prince.  
“Ah, there you are. Go visit the steward and make sure we have everything we need for the banquet. Now go, shoo, shoo!”  
The young man’s lips pinched in a tight line, but he said nothing as he bowed low to the prince and swept out of the room.  
Prince Satori bounced out of his chair, shoving it back and nearly hitting his other guards. “Alright, my dear Nephew, this Kingdom will not rule itself. Now go enjoy yourself!” He paused and leaned forward toward Daichi, his palms flat on the table. His face darkened, though the smile remained on his face. “Make sure you stay out of trouble. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you,  _Daichi-kun_ ,” And without another word he skipped out of the dining hall, his guards rushing to catch up.  
A heavy silence filled the dining hall, and Daichi turned to share a look with Suga. His friend usually had an indomitable spirit of positivity, but at that moment looked like he was filled with dread.  
Daichi sighed and stood up quietly from his chair, walked over to his friend and placed a hand on his shoulder.  
“We’re going to be ok, Suga.” Daichi encouraged quietly.  
Suga took in a deep breath and nodded, his confidence perking up. “I know, I’ll be fine. I’m mainly worried about you, after all.”  
Daichi gave him a wry smile.

“Just don’t let Asahi see you all scared. He’ll collapse from a heart attack.”  
Suga giggled, “Can you imagine how much noise he’ll make in that suit of armor when he starts trembling?”  
“Yup... he’ll probably just end up picking us both up in his arms and running all the way back to Karasuno.”  
Suga’s smile turned just a tint sad at the reminder of the beloved village they left behind.

“I almost wish he would.” He said softly.  
Daichi put his hands on his shoulders, giving Suga a firm look.

“I don’t run away, Suga. There’s too much at stake here.”  
Suga nodded and was quiet for a moment in thought until a little smirk snuck onto his face. “Yes, that’s true... though it’s probably not all business you’d like to take care of while we’re here.” Daichi cocked his head in confusion. Suga rolled his eyes and slid away from him as he began to walk toward the door. “I think you’re interested in a little pleasure as well, Daichi.”  
“What?!” Daichi protested as he caught up with Suga. “What are you talking about?”  
Suga giggled, “Come on, I know you’ve rarely talked about your childhood growing up here, but whenever you did there was always a look on your face like you left you left your long-lost love behind. And now that you’re here I can tell you’re anxious to go out there to look. I cannot  _wait_  to meet him!” He ended with a dramatic sigh.  
Daichi raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“Him? Whoever said it was a man?”  
Suga didn’t reply, only laughed as he clapped his friend on the back, whistling a chipper tune to combat the oppressive nature of the decor. Daichi groaned, wondering what he did to deserve such a cruel best friend.

 

A rickety cart full of vegetables rumbled over the dusty path in front of the city gates, a young shabby couple riding on top. The guards called out for it to halt and inspect what was inside.  
“What brings you to Shiratorizawa City today?” The first guard asked gruffly, the other one sidling around to check out the back.  
The young farmer smiled calmly, a piece of hay twitching between his teeth.

“We’ve had a really good harvest this year! We were hoping to sell some for a good price here at the market.”  
The guard nodded, and then glanced at the small woman beside him. He gave her a flirtatious grin and tipped his helmet.

“How are you today, little lady?”  
The young woman was very cute, with large brown eyes and pretty, auburn hair underneath a large bonnet. She apparently did not like the guard’s tone and snubbed her nose up, her cheeks aflame.  
The young farmer laughed, wrapping his long arm around her slender shoulders.

“Don’t mind my little woman, Sir... she’s just a little shy.”  
The guard chuckled, “She certainly seems like a little spitfire!”  
The farmer put his hand over the woman’s sputtering mouth, and he laughed as he scratched the back of his head, his fingernails scraping the dark, closely cropped hair.  
“Just a whole bunch of vegetables back here, Boss!”  
The head guard nodded and waved them through.

“Mind yourselves in the city! It can be quite a lot for you country folk to handle.”  
The farmer nodded and flicked the reins, encouraging their shaggy pony forward.

“Thank you, Sir. Let’s go,  _Darling_.”

The woman glared up at him, her hands wringing her flowered dress till her knuckles were white.  
They continued through the gate as they joined the throng of people heading to and from the marketplace. Once they were out of sight of the guards, the farmer pulled the cart off the path and circled around the back of the local tavern. He hopped out and landed on his feet without a sound. He looked back and forth behind the buildings, making sure there was no one in sight. He took his time wandering to the back of the cart, inspecting the cargo and picking up a small box full of ripe carrots. He walked over to the back of the tavern where there was a narrow door and gave a curious knock. Instead of the door opening, another knock was heard from the other side, a different beat than the farmer used. The farmer gave two knocks in reply, spaced out. This time the door opened to reveal a young man dressed in an apron. He showed no emotion on his face as he looked the farmer over with his sharp green eyes, his wavy black hair moving softly as a breeze crept in through the doorway.  
“You brought the  _special_  supplies we requested?” He asked in a calm voice, taking the box of carrots from the farmer with his slender hands.  
“Yup, we’ll need help unloading it. Oh, and we have something else as well...something  _extra_.”  
The raven-haired man narrowed his eyes at the farmer.

“Would this something extra also be a pain in my ass?”  
The Farmer snorted in response.

“I’m pretty sure it’s a pain in everyone’s ass.”  
A strange sound came from the back of the cart, and the young woman whirled around and poked a walking stick straight down into it. A quiet sound like a dying cat rose out of the vegetables.  
The man in the apron groaned and turned back to glance around inside and then nodded.

“The coast is clear. Get him in before I change my mind. Komi! Onaga! Come and help them unload.”  
A short worker with curly hair followed by another very tall one rushed out and ran over to the cart.  
“Hey Yaku, nice dress!” Called the shorter one with a whistle. The young  _woman_ leaped off the cart with the stick in his hands, ready to beat him up when the tall farmer grabbed him just in time.  
“Grrrr, let me go, Kai! Ugh, this is so humiliating, next time  _you_  are wearing the dress!”  
The taller worker laughed as he pulled out a crate topped with lettuce.

“Yeah, I don’t think the guards would buy that for a minute. Whew, this is heavy.”  
The smaller one shrugged as he too lifted a crate that seemed much heavier than it looked. The slight sound of glass clinking came from within.  
“Be careful, you don’t want to crack one,” called the calm man still standing in the doorway.  
“Sorry, Akaashi, we’ll be careful.”  
Since they had removed the two crates, a large pair of feet were visible under a few long wooden slats, hidden beneath the rows of vegetable crates. The farmer named Kai came around the back and grabbed hold of the feet and yanked them out. A long, lanky man with black hair spraying out in different directions slid out of the cart and plopped onto the ground.  
“Ow, ow, ow, ow, ooooowwwwww…” he whined, laying down completely as he writhed in the dirt. Akaashi rolled his eyes and strode over to the man and gave him a little shove with his foot.  
“Come on, Kuroo, get inside before a guard comes around the corner. I’m not letting Bokuto get pulled into the hangman’s noose alongside you if you get caught.”  
Kuroo winced and sat up, running a hand through his messy black hair.

“Ok, ok, Akaash, help me up.”  
After being yanked to his feet he hurried inside, pulling his hood completely over his head. Upon entering the back of the tavern, Akaashi led him to a side room that had a desk and a few boxes strewn about, lit only by a single lantern. The sounds of men laughing and light music echoed through until Akaashi shut the heavy door, leaving him alone in silence to wait. He pulled his hood down and made himself a seat out of the boxes and got comfortable, knowing it may be a while before his friend gets a chance to see him.  
He lounged there for a few long minutes, chewing his fingernails with a frown on his face. His thoughts were interrupted when the door swung open, Kai shuffling in and finding a crate to sit on next to him. Yaku was right behind him and hopped onto the desk, ripping his delicate bonnet off his head in a huff. Before the door shut behind them their friend Konoha slid through and shut it behind him. He grinned at them as he leaned against the door.  
“What is this, Yaku? I thought Lev was your husband? Does he know you’re two-timing him?”  
Yaku pulled an apple from the front of his dress and chucked it at Konoha, which he easily dodged with a laugh.  
Kuroo chuckled, “Yeah, he was pretty upset he couldn’t come, but he’s not ready yet.”  
“Not ready for Yaku or to get past the guards?”  
“Both,” Kuroo snorted but yelped when an apple hit him square in the chest.  
“The guards are going to wonder why you got so flat chested, Yaku,” Kai pointed out with a grin.  
“Whatever, I’ll find something to stuff my corset with.”  
Konoha’s eyebrows shot up as he hurried over to Yaku, pulling the front of his dress back so he could peek inside.

“You’re actually wearing a corset?!”  
Yaku slapped his hand away and fixed his dress.

“Of course, I like to go for accuracy.”

Kuroo and Kai tried to hide their laughter behind their hands.  
“I think we’ve got some fresh chicken breasts in the cellar,” Konoha offered.  
“Why the hell would I want chicken breasts?”  
“You know... for your boobs!” He motioned the front of his chest and did a squeezing motion, and Kuroo and Kai could no longer contain their chuckles, doubling over in laughter.  
“That’s gross, why would I shove raw chickens into my dress?”  
“Because they’re already breasts! Don’t you think that would be better than hard, lumpy apples?” He said and rolled his eyes as if it was the most obvious answer.  
Their conversation was interrupted when the door swung wide open, causing them all to jump. A big muscular man stood in the doorway with a huge smile on his face. His hair was silver and black, spiked straight up into the air, and his black apron hardly covered any of his broad chest.  
“Hey, hey, hey!! There you are, you rascal! It’s been too long since you’ve visited me!” He lunged inside and tackled Kuroo on top of the boxes, Kai scurrying away next to Yaku to avoid getting caught in the wrestling match that was about to occur. Konoha patted him and Yaku on the back and left them with a smile, shutting the door quietly behind him to give them privacy.  
“Ahh, get off me, you damn owl. I can’t breathe,” Kuroo gasped as he attempted to pry the bulky mass off. Bokuto released him and stood back as he laughed.

“Man, you’re getting soft. Not enough battles with the castle guards lately?”  
“Recuperating from the last one actually.”

Kuroo stood grimly and undid his belt, pulling his tunic up. A barely healed gash was slashed diagonally from his side down onto his stomach. Bokuto’s face fell and he leaned forward to take a closer look. He winced as he reached his fingers out and ghosted over the wound.  
“Man, that looks bad. Are you okay?”  
Kuroo brought his tunic back down and replaced his belt while Bokuto straightened back up.  
“Yeah, I’m okay. It was terrifying when it happened, and it hurt like hell. They’ve never gotten that close before.”  
“So, what brings you here? You’re not even completely healed, should you even risk it, being so close to the castle?”  
Kuroo bit his lip.

“No, I shouldn’t be risking it, especially pulling you into it, it’s just... I need a little help.”  
Without hesitation, Bokuto nodded enthusiastically.

“Of course! What do you need?”  
Kuroo huffed a laugh, “Shouldn’t you find out what it is before agreeing to it?”  
Bokuto shrugged, “Isn’t that what friends are for? Come on, spill it.”  
He did not say anything right away. He glanced at Yaku and Kai, the shorter one rolling his eyes and gesturing his hands as if to say, _Get on with it_.

“Well... do you remember me telling you stuff about my childhood? Specifically, my time pickpocketing people in the market?” Bokuto nodded. “Ok, so, remember that shorter kid in the fancy duds I pickpocketed that one time, and I thought I got away when he totally tackled me right into the mud?”  
Bokuto chuckled, “Yeah, I love that story! He’s the one you’re head over heels for, right?”  
“Yeeeah,” Kuroo said, running a hand through his hair, “So, he’s back.”  
Bokuto soaked in the information for a moment, then his golden eyes grew wide.

“That’s awesome!!! This is perfect, when are you going to see him?!”  
“Well, that’s just the thing, how can I? He’s Prince Satori’s nephew,” He replied, speaking the prince’s name like it was poison on his tongue. “And he’s living in the castle. Well, I guess that’s why I’m here, I was thinking about hiding out somewhere in town, do you have any ideas?” Bokuto opened his mouth excitedly when Kuroo stopped him. “And  _not_  here. I promised Akaashi I wouldn’t drag you into this.”  
Bokuto frowned, obviously disappointed. After thinking for a minute, he perked up.

“I got it! What about the old windmill?”  
“That old shack? Isn’t it falling apart?” Yaku asked, unimpressed.  
“Don’t you live in the woods?”  
“Well, yeah, but it’s cozy. Nowhere to get cornered, we’ve got a nice fire. There are no huge stones to fall on top of us…”  
“The Windmill…” Kuroo interrupted, his finger tapping on his chin as he thought. “It’s got a good location, kind of central, but also close to the wall so we could get to the woods pretty quickly if we needed to.”  
Bokuto nodded enthusiastically.

“Yeah, and there are a lot of rumors that it’s haunted, so most people don’t go up there. Are you bringing all the Cats out of the forest?”  
“I don’t know. If we are, I don’t want us all in the same place just in case we get raided.”  
“You could keep at least one or two here then. They might hear some gossip that I won’t be able to.”  
“Hmm, that’s true, I wouldn’t mind leaving Kenma near you. It’s pretty comfortable compared to the windmill, and you’d be here to look out for him.”  
“Sure, of course. What’re you going to do tonight?”  
“I thought about shacking up in the old market while Kai and Yaku go back.”  
“Oh no, Dude, you don’t wanna do that. They raid it every night.”  
“What?! Why?”  
Bokuto looked a little uneasy. “It’s because of you, Dude. I think they’re looking for you.”  
Kuroo, Kai, and Yaku stared at Bokuto, processing what he said. Rage flickered in Kuroo’s eyes as he began to pace back and forth quickly, running his hand through his hair.  
“That son of a— there’s just beggars and children living there! They’re probably scared to death having soldiers burst in while they’re sleeping, pointing their swords at ‘em!”  
Bokuto held his hands out, trying to get Kuroo to calm down.

“I know! I know, Man. A bunch of us in town have been trying to tell the guards that you’re not there, that it’s harmful to the kids, but they just laugh and shove us off. Honestly, we’re even trying to find them places to live, but it’s tough. Most of the families see those kids as thieves.”  
Kuroo stopped, the rage dripping from his face and sorrow replacing it.

“I’m sure they do. I’d know better than anybody.” He shuffled back to his boxes and sat down, resting his face in his hands. Kai and Yaku stayed on the desk, not saying anything in their own solemnity. The silence hung over the four of them like a heavy weight pressing down on them.  
At last, Bokuto’s face began to lift slightly.

“Say... they keep looking for you in places they  _think_  you might be, right?”  
Kuroo looked up from his hands, his face tired. “Yeah? I guess so.”  
Bokuto began to get more excited as he began to pace the room.

“What if...What if you hide in a place they would  _never_  suspect!”  
“Ok?”  
“If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!”  
“Ugh, Bokuto, you’re not making any sense!”  
“Ok, so there are always guards in here getting totally pissed some night or another. What if we pick out a nice tall one, I give him harder stuff than he’s used to, we slip his armor off, and then— “  
“—And then I walk around in guard armor…” Kuroo finished, his face staring at Bokuto in awe. “Bo…. you are a GENIUS!” He ran up and threw his long arms around his friend as they laughed.  
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Yaku grumbled, “This is crazy! What happens when the guard wakes up!”  
Kai snapped his fingers with a pleased grin on his face.

“We put him in bed with the ugliest woman he’s ever seen... or man. Something that he’d be too embarrassed to tell his buddies. He wouldn’t tell a soul, so he’d have to make up a story about losing his armor.”  
Kuroo turned and grimaced at his second-hand man.

“Kai, remind me never to get on your bad side.”  
“Ok...maybe this could work. It’s still crazy though,” Yaku said as he nodded slowly. There was a knock at the door and they all flinched.  
“Bokuto-san, it’s just me,” called Akaashi’s soft voice. “You need to come out soon, you’ve been away from the bar for too long.”  
Bokuto leaned against the door, his mouth hovering in front of the crack.

“Ok Akaashi. I’ll be out in one minute!” He whispered so loudly he might as well have been talking.  
After hearing a quiet snort from the other side they heard his footsteps fading away. Bokuto turned to them with a serious face.

“OK, first, you two need to get back to the forest and let the others know what’s going on. I’ll keep Kuroo here and get him his guard armor, got it?”  
Kuroo frowned at him.

“Who made you the leader of the Cats?”  
“Ok, go ahead. Give them your instructions.”  
Kuroo stuck his nose in the air and faced his companions.

“What he said. Oh, but first, Yaku…. get yourself some boobs. And learn to flirt a little jeez. Just cuz Lev is easy doesn’t mean those guards are. OW!!”

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daichi gets the chance to wander about the market, and finds out a little bit more about the situation.

The market was bustling with people, yelling out special prices and bickering over the best pick of produce. Daichi smiled as two children ran by him, playing with toy swords. He turned to say something to Suga and stopped, realizing that Suga was still back at the castle and instead he was walking with Semi Eita, one of the Prince’s guards. The man was not much taller than him, but there was something about his presence that always intimidated him. It might have been the scowl that was usually on his face or his incredible swordsmanship skills. Regardless of any of that, he was Prince Satori’s right-hand man, and what worried Daichi the most was that the Prince himself ordered Semi to remain next to him, just because he wanted to walk into the market. He almost felt like a prisoner.  
Semi glanced over and raised his eyebrows.

“Did you say something, Master Daichi?”  
“Oh, no, sorry, I forgot Suga wasn’t here…”  
“Oh…What would you have said?” He asked with a genuine curiosity.  
Daichi chuckled softly, “Oh nothing, just something about those kids... they reminded me of when I first arrived at Karasuno village and there were a bunch of us who went there to study and learn swordsmanship. We were literally kids with wooden swords, but it was the greatest thing to us. We all really bonded…” Daichi trailed off, an overwhelming melancholy possessing him thinking about his friends so far away in the remote country village.  
“I understand.” Replied Semi, which surprised Daichi out of his reverie. “I can relate since it was much the same for us, the Royal Guards. Even his Majesty King Wakatoshi and Prince Satori were trained with us. The Prince could trick the devil into dropping his sword and giving him a curtsy, I swear,” He chuckled. Daichi smiled at him, amazed that Semi would offer him this information that seemed personal to him. A pain shot through his chest at the thought that Semi could possibly be an enemy to him. Enemy... the word left a bitter taste in his mouth. He hated seeing the world so black and white; was it ever that simple?  
“You and I should spar sometime, Master Daichi,” Semi continued, shooting him a smirk. “I’d like to see how far Sir Ukai’s mentorship has gotten you, compared to the Royal Guards.”  
Daichi laughed nervously in response.

“Sure, I would like that. I may be a bit out of practice. If you want a real fight you should spar with my knight guard, Asahi.”  
Semi nodded, “Yes I’ve seen him with you and Sugawara-san. He’s...intimidating, to say the least.”  
“Yes, he is that,” Daichi agreed, deciding not to reveal how nervous his gallant guard can get.  
“Speaking of which, I haven’t actually seen him about the castle much?”  
“Oh... upon arrival His Majesty said that he’d rather Asahi not attend me throughout the castle. Said it would seem suspicious to the other lords and ladies like I need personal protection.” Daichi explained in as neutral a tone as he could muster. He did not want one ounce of bitterness to seep through his voice, knowing that Semi could tell the Prince anything he wanted about their excursion. But Semi’s mouth was twisted in annoyance as he contemplated his answer.

“I see... please don’t hold it against the Prince. It’s hard on him you know.”  
“Hard?”  
“Yes, living in King Wakatoshi’s shadow, taking care of the Kingdom while he’s far away. Even with as brilliant as he is, he cannot control everything, so he does his best.”  
Daichi was stunned by the honesty poured from Semi. He was genuinely concerned over his Prince. It should be no surprise, considering he had likened his relationship with him as compared to Daichi and Suga. Yet with such a reverence and kinship toward Prince Satori, he wondered how much Semi actually knew about the state of the kingdom.  
“Do you mainly stay here in the city to guard the Prince? Or does his Majesty occasionally send you out into the Kingdom to visit the villages?” Daichi asked.  
“No, he keeps the Royal Guard here in the city. He has certain troops that go and assist the villages and watch the roads.”  
“Oh, I see...are there specific soldiers who collect taxes?”  
“Yes, the soldiers who were brought in from Nohebi are in charge of the tax collecting. Then they bring it here and deliver it to the vault. That’s when we take over guarding it, of course.”  
Daichi steadied his breath, hoping he could choose his words carefully so he would not put Semi on the defensive.

“That makes sense. Has the amount of gold in the vault changed a lot in the past few years?”  
Semi looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

“No, I don’t believe so. The taxes have remained consistent as far as I can tell, but, of course, we are not informed of any financial changes. Why do you ask?”  
“For the past several years, I have been fortunate to be able to travel throughout the villages. It’s been a great experience, each village has their own special quality and beauty. However, and I don’t understand why, most have been on a steady decline and have become very poor because of the great increase in taxes. Many of their homes have gone into disrepair and their clothes are turning to rags. Their focus is solely on keeping their families fed and safe.”  
“Which villages are suffering in this way?” Semi asked, confusion mixed with concern lacing the tone of his voice.  
“All of them, outside of Shiratorizawa. Karasuno village is slightly better with the academy being there, but even it has suffered greatly.”  
“That does not make sense. For us to collect so much in taxes that all the villages would be starving, our vault would be overflowing! But it’s not. Like I said, it’s the same as it always has. And there’s no reason for us to take more, either.”  
Daichi believed him. They walked a bit in silence while the market retained its light, bustling atmosphere.  
“That’s one reason I wanted to come back. I would like to help if I can, though I’m not sure I’ll be able to. His Majesty has said that he only discusses financial matters with Lord Daishou.”  
At the mention of Daishou, a bit of anger grew behind Semi’s dark scowl. He did not answer but grumbled incoherent words under his breath. Daichi was convinced that if Semi knew nothing of the decline of the villages and steep taxes, then none of the Royal Guard did. So, the Prince was arranging everything through Daishou and the Nohebi guards. Unfortunately, even if the Royal Guard didn’t know about it, they were still insatiably loyal to the Prince. That was the hardest part for Daichi; he did not dislike any of them. They were good men, and yet they couldn’t be trusted.  
As they continued through the market, the mood seemed to brighten from their previous dark conversation. Daichi ended up purchasing a few items he needed, and a couple treats for Asahi and Suga to try as well. He began to wander down one aisle toward a less populated area when Semi stopped him.  
“There’s really nothing down that way.”  
Daichi looked up at him questioningly.

“Isn’t there another arm of the market that way?”  
Semi shook his head, “No, that’s known as Old Market now. It’s a bit of a dark corner of our city, I’m afraid. Most of the beggars and orphans reside there in whatever shack they can find, but there are also dangerous men who hide out there.”  
“Dangerous men? What kind of dangerous men?”  
Semi narrowed his eyes as he looked down the deserted path.

“We’ve had a lot of trouble with a certain band of thieves. They’re known as the Cats, mainly cuz they can sneak around without being heard, and have impressive agility. You’ll want to watch yourself, and your pockets.”  
A cold sweat began to accumulate on Daichi’s skin. There was something eerily familiar about this band of thieves, and he had this ominous feeling he knew exactly who they were.  
“So, these thieves have hurt people?”  
Semi thought about it before he answered.

“They have not _killed_ anyone yet, but they are fierce fighters. I caught their leader Kuroo Tetsurou with my spear myself not too long ago, but the man’s practically a ghost. He continued fighting to release some of his friends we had captured and they all disappeared without a trace. If we could lure them out of the woods we may actually have a chance.”  
_Kuroo_ ….  
Daichi had enough mental capacity to continue looking around the market, looking as interested as he could when internally he felt like his whole world was crashing down. He did not know what to think first. _Kuroo is a leader of a thief band. A thief band that’s terrorizing the city? That doesn’t seem right, he wouldn’t do that. Oh shit, he’s injured, is he okay? If he knows I’m here, he may try to find me, but they might catch him. Well, he may not come to find me...is that a good thing or—_  
“Oh, this is a good tavern. Would you like to stop in for a drink before we go back?”  
Daichi flinched as he was interrupted from his frantic thoughts and looked up at the sign. It read _Hoots & Pints_ with a carving of a very surprised looking owl underneath. Semi chuckled at his confused reaction.  
“Yeah, don’t judge it by its name, it’s actually really good. The barkeep is… enthusiastic, but it’s strangely infectious.”  
Daichi smiled, “Sounds good! Lead the way, Sir Semi.”  
Upon entering through the heavy, ornate door, Daichi was immediately struck by the friendly atmosphere and attractive decor. It was rustic, as typical for a tavern, but the large pillars were hand carved to look like the bark of trees, with sublet silhouettes of owls woven in. There was a grand fireplace to the side where several men were laughing in plush armchairs seated across from each other. He followed Semi over to the bar, which was relatively empty, yet two men stood behind it working.  
“Hey, hey! It’s Sir Stoic himself! What can I get for you big shot?”  
Daichi was stunned by the sight of the grinning barkeep, his black and silver hair spiked and a voice that filled the immense tavern easily. He turned in alarm to see how Semi reacted to the strange greeting, but the knight simply quirked an eyebrow and smirked back.  
“That’s Sir _Semi_ , Bokuto. And please don’t embarrass me in front of my guest.” He gestured to Daichi as they took a seat on the stools.  
The man named Bokuto leaned his immense frame onto the bar and gave him a friendly smile, his hand extended.

“A guest, huh? The name’s Bokuto Koutarou!”  
Daichi accepted the hand and smiled warmly in return.

“My name is Sawamura. Sawamura Daichi.”  
“ _Master_ Daichi is his proper title,” Semi added as he took a sip of the ale that Bokuto had already set in front of him.  
At the mention of his name, Daichi noticed the slightest flicker of something pass on Bokuto’s face, but it was gone and his enthusiasm came back tenfold.  
“Master Daichi! Oh ho, that’s a name I’ve heard before, though not for a while.”  
“Oh, you’ve heard of me?”  
Semi set his mug down and frowned slightly at Bokuto.

“Where have you heard of him? He just moved here.”  
Bokuto seemed completely at ease with the question as he filled a mug of ale for Daichi and set it in front of him.

“He used to live here as a kid, didn’t he? You remember old man Hongo? The one who carves those really nice bows out of that fancy wood? He comes in here all the time, and every time he gets drunk he goes on and on about his Majesty King Wakatoshi. A few times he mentioned him bringing you into his shop, Master Daichi, just a young pup jumping up and down to get his first bow.”  
Daichi remembered the old man. He was gruff and had little patience for tomfoolery, but he adored the King and was loyal to a fault. Despite his stern nature, he was always very kind to Daichi, crafting the most exquisite bow he had ever seen, just for him. It was his 12th birthday gift from the King, but that was just before the war, and after that, he was sent to Karasuno for his education.  
“How is Hongo-san? I remember him well, is he still crafting?”  
“He’s well, getting old though. I believe he still crafts occasionally, but has mainly settled down into retirement.”  
Daichi nodded, though a little disappointed. He still had his old bow, but it was meant for a smaller person and he mainly kept it for sentimental reasons. He would have loved to obtain a new Hongo-san made bow. Just the thought made him miss his Uncle even more.  
“Have you had any troubles with the Cats, Bokuto?”  
The barkeep cocked his head at the knight. “Cats? No, I don’t think so? We get a few hanging around back sometimes but they keep the mice out so we don’t mind them.”  
Semi huffed out a laugh, “No, I mean the thieves, the band of ‘cats’. They haven’t stolen anything from you, have they?”  
“Oh, those guys! No, they haven’t taken anything as far as I know. Oh, I actually don’t take care of the money. Akaashi? Have they stolen from us yet?”  
A slender man with wavy black hair was working silently next to Bokuto. He smirked as he turned to Bokuto, his piercing green eyes glinting in the torchlight.

“No, Bokuto-san. I would have told you if thieves had stolen from us.”  
“Oh...true.”  
Semi nodded, “Well, be careful, they’ve been extra aggressive lately and I wouldn’t want you to get caught up in it.”  
Bokuto smiled brightly at the knight. “Thank you, Sir Semi. It’s a relief knowing we’re well protected by your guards!”  
They ended up staying at the tavern longer than expected. Daichi enjoyed Bokuto’s excited chatter and laughed at his ridiculous stories. He also enjoyed the calm man next to him who had impeccable timing with his firm words to reign his boss’s enthusiasm in. Finally, Semi clapped him on the back and said they should be getting back. Daichi nodded and gave a polite bow to Bokuto and Akaashi. He had just turned to go when Bokuto called out to him.  
“Master Daichi! Sorry, um, you’re always welcome here, you know! We have good food as well as drink, so come in anytime!” There was the typical friendliness in Bokuto’s voice, but Daichi was startled by a subtle edge to it, almost urgent. He wasn’t sure if he imagined it, but regardless he smiled back at Bokuto and assured him he would definitely be back. He didn’t miss the relieved look on his face, but he felt like it wasn’t something he wanted to mention to Semi as he turned to follow the knight out the door and back to the castle.

As soon as they were gone, Bokuto and Akaashi shared a serious look.  
“Go,” Akaashi said softly, and without a word, Bokuto strode through the archway leading to the kitchen and back rooms. He flinched right inside, however, at the presence of a long lanky man with his back flat up against the wall. Bokuto lunged in front of him and out of sight of the rest of the tavern and leaned in to whisper.  
“What are you doing right here?! Do you know what would happen if Semi would catch you?”  
Kuroo didn’t answer, his face almost blank as he clutched onto his chest. Bokuto snapped his fingers in front of his face and he blinked.  
“Bo? He was _right there_.”  
Bokuto gave him a soft smile. “Yeah, he was.”  
“Gosh, he sounded so good, his voice got deeper, kinda rough. Ugh, that’s so hot...and you got to talk to him, you asshole.” He punched his stomach lightly as Bokuto chuckled. “What did he look like, was he handsome?”  
“Oh man, dude, he’s so handsome.”  
“Really?!”  
“Yeah, a little on the shorter side, but he’s got good strong shoulders, sexy biceps. He gives a real aura of responsibility, definitely leader material. Yet still seemed sort of gentle, like I could trust him with anything. I... I think I’m in love.”  
He hardly escaped Kuroo’s grasp as he ran back through the archway giggling and earning a sour look from Akaashi.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your positive comments. Send me more, it’s so encouraging!

Mist hung over the ground of the forest, covering the array of colors in a blanket of swirling white. The sun had not yet made its appearance above the horizon, yet its influence could already be felt as the silhouettes of the twisted trees became more clear. Under a mighty oak, the mist seemed to ripple slightly, but if anyone had been watching they would have believed it to be their imagination. There was the sound of a soft leaf crunching and immediately a little pellet came sailing out of nowhere and piercing into the white blanket.  
“Ouch!” Cried a voice and Lev’s body shot out of the mist, holding the back of his head in pain.  
“Dammit, Lev! You’re supposed to be silent! _Silent_! If I knew where to hit you, then you were being too loud. Plus I saw your head pop up slightly over there.” Yaku stepped toward Lev, simply appearing in existence as if he was a ghost. His feet were invisible under the mist and made no noise, giving the illusion of him almost floating. Lev’s bright green eyes widened as his jaw fell open.  
“How are you doing that, Yaku-san? I could hardly see the leaves _under_ the mist, and you’re not even looking and not making a sound!”  
Yaku looked almost sad as he stared down at his giant protege, still sitting in the damp grass.

“You should know enough by now to do it yourself, or at least know how I’m doing it.”  
A slight blush spread across Lev’s pale cheeks, and he dropped his head down to stare at his lap. Yaku closed his eyes and sighed. No matter how exasperated he got with Lev, he was always really weak to his emotions. When he was leaping around in excitement, Yaku secretly wanted to laugh and join him. When he was sleepy and curled up in a giant ball by the fire, every fiber of his being wanted to snuggle up with him and bask in his enveloping warmth. If Lev was ashamed or despondent, Yaku wanted to wrap him up in his arms and hold him tight. But he couldn’t do that. Ever since he witnessed Semi Eita’s spear skewer Kuroo’s side, he had plaguing nightmares of something similar happening to Lev. Kuroo was their leader; the strongest, smartest and quickest among them. If he could get wounded that easily, Lev would be an easy target. He needed to be tough on him for his own survival.  
He opened his eyes to simply tell him to try again when he froze. Lev had straightened up on his knees and stretched his face up only inches underneath Yaku’s. He was so close Yaku could see the various shades of green within his eyes like mystical jewels of emerald and jade. Slight tears were welling up in the corners, threatening to spill down his cheeks. Lev’s long slender fingers curled into the front of Yaku’s tunic.  
“I’m sorry, Yaku-san...I’m sorry I disappointed you. Please don’t hate me...” His trembling voice cut through Yaku’s heart. Lev was perpetually overly confident and consistently happy. Even when he failed, typically he either picked himself up or collapsed in exhaustion. To hear Lev beg him not to hate him made him want to burst into tears himself.  
Yaku reached out and ran his hand through the silky, silver hair. His other hand cupped his cheek and he leaned forward.

“I don’t hate you, Lev,” he replied in a soft, soothing voice. Lev’s lips curled into a hopeful smile as he sniffed. “I would never hate you, Stupid. I force you to work hard so you’ll learn, and so you won’t get hurt, okay?” Lev nodded vigorously in between his hands and Yaku chuckled. His thumbs swiped across his cheeks as they smiled at each other in a comfortable silence. Yaku let his eyes sweep over Lev’s face one more time and then landed on his lips. He began to lean closer as if they were magnetic when he heard a cough.  
“Uhhhh, Yaku-san?” He whirled around with his face flaming red to see Inuoka and Shibayama sitting in the tree behind them, looking embarrassed. “Should we head on back to camp? You know, so you can have more time with Lev?”  
“No! I mean, Yes! Let’s all head back. The sun’s already up anyways. Good work, guys, I even forgot you were here!” He grabbed Lev to yank him up to his feet and started heading toward the camp.

A voice behind him whispered with a giggle, “Yeah, no kidding.” He heard a light slap followed by a light yelp.  
They shuffled awkwardly into camp with no chatter between them. Yamamoto and Kai were sharpening their weapons while Fukunaga was attempting to make breakfast over a steaming pot suspended above the fire.  
“What the hell’s with the lot of you?” Asked Yamamoto as he wiped his sword clean.  
“What do you mean?” Yaku asked, attempting to sound ignorant.  
Yamamoto scoffed. “Well, _your_ face looks like a tomato, and those two look awkward as hell, who knows what’s wrong with them? And Lev…” they all turned to look up at Lev, who smiled cheerfully at them, though he looked a little confused.  
Yaku sighed, “Please just forget about it. Fukunaga, did you turn anything up last night?”  
The large sharp eyes flickered from the pot to Yaku and then back.

“A lot of rumors are flying around the marketplace. Apparently, the Prince is hoarding _special_ gifts for the attendees; very expensive ones to show off his own wealth and such. And that’s just the Prince’s stock. There’s supposed to be a lot of nobility there, and that means-“  
“Moooooore money,” Yamamoto finished, rubbing his thumb and two fingers together with a grin. “Should be easy really First, we cash in on those special gifts while maybe a couple of us check out the carriages, see if there’s anything of value on those. Then if we’re lucky the halls will be empty and we can make a quick sweep of some rooms. Then if we’re _really_ lucky we can—“  
“You idiot!” Yaku interrupted, his hands gripping his walking stick so tightly they all worried he might snap it under his fingers. “Luck, luck, luck. _We_ don’t rely on luck, that’s what could get us killed! This is a job inside the castle, and that place will be swarming with guards! And not just Prince Satori’s guards. That asswipe snake has his guards all over the palace as well!”  
Lev looked confused. “Snake? There’s a snake in the palace?”  
“No.”  
“Yes.” Yamamoto and Yaku said in succession, the latter rolling his eyes.  
“ _No_ , Prince Satori’s advisor, Daishou Suguru, remember Lev? Daishou and his guards were brought in a few years ago to help with the financial state of the kingdom?”  
Lev frowned and then shook his head. They all groaned.  
“Dammit Lev, they’ve been here longer than you have, don’t you ever pay attention?!” Yelled Yamamoto, slapping the back of Lev’s head who yelped in pain.  
“They’re the guards with snakes emblazoned onto their armor instead of eagles,” Kai explained calmly.  
“Hmm….OH, THOSE ONES!”  
They all groaned again.  
“What’s with you guys?” A soft voice asked. They all yelped as they whirled around. Kenma was sitting on a log next to Inuoka, who looked like he had a heart attack.  
“Jeeze Kenma, don’t do that!” Yaku yelled, clutching his chest. “Did you see anything when you were snooping around town?”  
Kenma shrugged. “Not much, just Kuroo.”  
“You saw Kuroo?! I thought he was in disguise!”  
“Oh, he was. He was in full Shiratorizawa armor. But I could tell it was him.” Kenma rolled his eyes.  
Yaku smirked, “Of course, I bet he’s just strutting around like he owns the place.” The small blonde nodded, causing a few chuckles around the fire. “Were you able to talk to him?”  
“Yes, just a little bit.”  
“What did he tell you, did you get any more information about the banquet?”  
Kenma gave a small smirk.

Kuroo always used to snicker about how the knights always walked like they had a piece of metal shoved up their ass. He was beginning to understand why as he tromped around the castle in the early afternoon heat. It was enjoyable however being able to walk out in the open, particularly within royal grounds. Things were working out better than he had expected, listening in on two of Daishou’s guards chatting it up and getting some juicy information, spotting Kenma and passing the info on to him. He smirked from within his helmet and almost let out a chuckle. For once things were going his way.  
He froze just on the edge of the sparring field. Up ahead was a ring surrounded by a few of Prince Satori’s personal guards, and right in full view was the most perfect man he had ever seen. He was wearing simple clothes for a nobleman, almost rugged but still well made. They hugged his body in just the right way to show off his broad shoulders and impressive physique. His short black hair looked soft as the sunlight grazed it. His face looked content, maybe even a bit mischievous as he gazed at the activity in the ring. He got distracted by his companion and leaned toward him. After listening to him for a moment he burst out laughing. The sound of his mirth was like the sound of angels to Kuroo, and yet it also felt like a knife in his heart. He narrowed his eyes at the companion who had made Daichi laugh...  _his_ Daichi.  
The man beside him was dressed simply but tastefully in clothing that fit his body very well too. He was not as well-built as Daichi, but with a discerning eye, you could see he was athletic as well. His hair was a light grey color that framed his handsome face nicely. His blood began to boil at the soft smile he was giving Daichi, erupting in giggles as Daichi shoved him a bit. He was _teasing_ Daichi, and the atmosphere seemed completely natural between them.  
Kuroo turned quickly and began walking toward the gate with a purpose. He forced himself to breathe despite how hard his heart was pounding. Years of running from guards, being beaten, starved, losing friends... he believed all of it had made him stronger and tougher. He had only been a small child the last time he had shed tears, not even when Sir Semi skewered his side with a spear. Even that seemed to hurt less than the kind of pain he felt in that moment.  
He pushed through the castle gates and kept going as his eyes grew hot. He squeezed them shut and when he reopened them a few tears spilled out and tickled down his cheeks. Slight relief flooded him when he saw that his feet had carried him straight to the old Windmill, looking like a giant and crumbling gravestone. He flew inside and ripped his helmet off, throwing it against the ground with a clang. He bent over and gripped his knees, trying to keep breathing. A feeling of shame swept over him for being carried away with such a torrent of emotions.  
He shoved his gloves off, letting them fall to the dirt floor, when he heard a specific knock. He sighed and strode over to the door in just two steps. He ripped the door open, causing Akaashi to jump back in surprise.  
“What was that?!” He seethed as quietly as he could, rushing through the entrance. Kuroo just shrugged and slammed the door behind him. Without replying he walked across the room, shoved his back against the wall and slid down onto the ground. Akaashi stared at him in disbelief. “Kuroo-san? What happened?” He crept closer to Kuroo and held his hand out, cupping under his chin and lifting it up. Kuroo’s eyes were red, his cheeks still wet and blotched red. His eyes widened as he took in the strange sight, but he said nothing as he waited for Kuroo to speak.  
“I… I saw him, Akaashi.”  
“Who did you see?”  
“Daichi.”  
Akaashi frowned. “Wasn’t that what you wanted? To see him again?”  
Kuroo shook his head, Akaashi’s hand falling away from his chin. “He wasn’t alone. There was a man with him.”  
“He was probably a guard. Prince Satori hasn’t let him out of his sight since his arrival. That’s pretty much common knowledge now.”  
“He wasn’t a guard, especially not a Shiratorizawa guard. They looked really close with each other, like friends or...something closer.”  
A flicker of understanding passed over Akaashi’s face. “I see. I cannot say for certain that he’s only a friend to Master Daichi, but you should not jump to conclusions. You need to give him a chance to explain the situation properly.”  
Kuroo snorted, “Yeah, like I’ll ever get a chance to talk to him.”  
“Well, you might have before you ran away from the castle like a child who had his toy taken away from him.”  
Kuroo squawked at the jab and glared up at Akaashi, who smirked back at him with his arms crossed in front of him. With a sigh, Kuroo hung his head. Akaashi was completely right and he knew it.

“Fair point,” he mumbled as he stuck his bottom lip out. Akaashi simply huffed out a quiet laugh, and Kuroo looked back up at him curiously. “What are you doing here, anyway?”  
“Oh, Bokuto-san wanted to check on you since there were hardly any customers, but I told him I’d go instead. It would be too suspicious if he keeps disappearing from the tavern.”  
Kuroo snorted, “Yeah, not to mention he sticks out like a sore thumb.”  
“Yes, that too. There is a little food here as well. Have you figured out how long you’re staying here?”  
Kuroo eagerly grabbed the sack and dug in, realizing that after his emotional meltdown he was famished.

“Not long, I’ll probably leave tomorrow after the banquet.”  
Akaashi’s eyes widened, “Are you actually planning on hitting it?”  
Kuroo waved his hand as he tried to swallow a bit of bread. “The less you know, the better my friend.”  
The sharp green eyes narrowed at him, but he did not argue. “I better get back, the tavern will be getting busy soon.” Kuroo nodded and Akaashi raised his hood over his head. He paused with his hand on the handle and glanced back at Kuroo. “And...don’t get too depressed over this thing with Master Daichi. I don’t want to get your hopes up, but I doubt he has completely forgotten about his feelings for you. Good night.” He slid quickly through the door and out into the afternoon haze.  
“Night,” Kuroo answered softly, though Akaashi was long gone. He let his head fall back against the cool stone wall as he his mind wandered back to Daichi. He shoved aside the picture of the slender man with grey hair and a charming smile. The image of Daichi’s face appeared, strong and kind. His shoulders that seemed to carry a mountain of responsibilities, even at his young age. Even just the image of him in Kuroo’s mind was enough to calm his soul a little bit, and after finishing his meal and taking off the rest of his armor, he was able to drift off to sleep for a little nap.

As Daichi stood by the sparring ring, he was completely unaware of a certain lanky guard staring at him across the yard. Instead, his focus was completely on the match taking place within the ring. His top guard Asahi had been getting a little stir crazy inside of his room and jumped at the chance to fight against a famous warrior such as Sir Semi Eita. Daichi watched in sadistic pleasure as Asahi matched Semi hit for hit. The other Shiratorizawa guards watching beside them laughed and poked fun at their leader, who was obviously struggling against the “Farmer Knight”.  
“He’s at the top of his game today,” Suga observed.  
Daichi nodded, “He sure is. Nishinoya would be cheering his head off if he could see him right now, all bold and forceful.”  
Suga snorted, “You’re right, I’m pretty sure he loves it when Asahi’s bold and _forceful_.”  
“Suga! Don’t say such things,” He admonished, though he was laughing anyways along with his ornery friend.  
“In all honesty though, he’s been really depressed lately. Not only because he’s not permitted to wander the castle freely, but he really misses Nishinoya. He’s his biggest encouragement.”  
Daichi winced and gazed back at the match. At the moment Asahi was doing well, his face full of concentration, and his normally gentle brown eyes full of intensity. He was a sight to behold when his confidence was high and his focus keen. And yet he could see something in his demeanor that was disconcerting. It was like every lunge and hit was an attempt to forget something lurking in the back of his head, and he knew that Suga was right in his assumption. He knew firsthand how painful it can be to be separated from someone you love, and he hated the fact that he’s the reason Asahi was now parted from his.  
“He’s not the only one it seems,” Said Suga nonchalantly, stirring Daichi from his thoughts.  
“What? What are you talking about?”  
Suga turned his face toward him with a smile and leaned in, “You’ve been getting more on edge lately for no apparent reason. I know you’re anxious to finally get laid by your true love, but I do hope you’re careful.” Daichi shoved him away as his face turned beet red, Suga trying to stifle his giggles.  
“IT’S MY TURN! SEMI-SENPAI! I WANT TO FIGHT HIM!! I CAN TAKE HIM!” A young knight with black hair in a bowl cut looked like he was on fire as he danced about the side of the ring. The other guards chuckled at their enthusiastic companion.  
“Calm down, Goshiki!” Semi scolded as he and Asahi walked towards them. They both looked exhausted as sweat poured down their faces. “Besides, he needs to rest for a minute and have a drink.”  
Asahi took a towel from Suga and thanked him, patting his face dry.  
“How do you feel, Big Guy?” Daichi asked, clapping his friend on the shoulder.  
Asahi smiled back, “Good, really good. That was a really tough fight, I wasn’t sure if I could win.”  
“Tch, there it is, the negativity. Can’t you just admit you kicked his ass?!” Snipped Suga as he gave Asahi a punch in the gut.  
“I wouldn’t say he kicked my ass,” called Semi a few feet away, his face deep in a scowl.  
Suga stiffened and turned slowly toward the intimidating knight. He pasted an angelic smile on his face and gave a slight bow.

“Forgive me, Sir Semi, I shouldn’t have put it like that! I just get a little overzealous in my encouragement.”  
The other knight cocked an eyebrow. “That was encouragement?”  
Suga straightened and flashed a more confident grin. “Yup! I have a very high success rate of encouraging my friends!” Behind his both Daichi and Asahi shook their heads, both of them terrified of Suga’s “encouragement”. Semi simply chuckled and continued to drink from his water skin.  
Daichi nudged Asahi, “Do you think you’re gonna fight that young guy? He’s pretty fired up.”  
Asahi smiled, “No, not today at least. I’d rather fight him when I’m not exhausted, otherwise, it wouldn’t be good practice for him.”  
“Hmm, I wonder,” Daichi said, scratching his head as he pondered something.  
“What is it?” Suga asked, his eyes glittering with curiosity.  
“Well, the Prince is in his lengthy meetings today with his advisor, Daishou. Semi said the guards will be pretty busy preparing something for the banquet tomorrow. I was wondering if they’d let me take you both into the market and show you around.”  
They both perked up immediately at the prospect. They had heard countless stories of the kingdom’s capital city and had yet to see any of it. Daichi walked over to Semi and asked if it would be troublesome if the three would spend some time in town. He assured the knight he only wanted to show them the market and maybe stop by Bokuto’s tavern.  
Semi frowned for a moment as he thought it over, but he ended up giving Daichi a smile and said that should be fine and not to stay out too late. They rushed Asahi inside to wash up and in no time the three friends were laughing and chatting as they passed through the castle gate into town.

It was already late afternoon by the time they had seen the entire marketplace. They could have been through it sooner but Suga had insisted on trying food from nearly every vendor and Asahi agonized over a gift for Nishinoya.  
“If I got to eat food this good every day, I’d probably never leave Shiratorizawa City!” Said Suga as he stretched his arms above his head, smiling in satisfaction.  
“Do you really think Noya will like this?” Asahi asked timidly, twirling a handmade flute in his hands.  
Daichi snorted, “He can make noise with it, it’s going to be his favorite thing...and _we_ are gonna hate it.” Suga giggled and Asahi let his worry fade into a small smile. “Oh, here’s the place I was telling you guys about. I think you’ll really like the owner, he’s very friendly.”  
They entered through the ornate door and once again Daichi felt the warmth of the comfortable room. He was startled to see however that there was hardly anyone there. There was only one customer alone in a booth with his head down on the table and his hand on a bottle. Even behind the bar there appeared to be no one there.  
“Strange,” muttered Daichi as he walked toward the bar, Asahi and Suga close behind him. They all took a seat to wait when they heard voices from the back. It didn’t quite sound like arguing, yet it worried Daichi that it sounded like something was wrong. Bokuto shuffled through the doorway with distress etched on his face when he yelped in surprise as seeing them there.  
“Master Daichi!!” He yelled as his typical smile spread across his face. “How are you? I’m so happy you could come back so soon!”  
Daichi smiled warmly back. “Of course! It was so good I had to bring my friends to try it as well.” He gestured toward Suga beside him and Asahi further down.  
Bokuto flushed slightly and scratched the back of his head, “Oh, really? Thank you, that means a lot.”  
“Please don’t compliment him too much. He’s overly confident already,” said a calm voice entering from the doorway. They all looked to see Akaashi gliding in, his face emotionless as always, but he offered Daichi a smile and polite bow. “It is good to see again you so soon, Master Daichi.”  
“Thank you. Um, why is it so empty in here? I thought it would be packed.”  
Bokuto bellowed out a laugh, “Yeah, it _should_ be packed in here, but it’s all Yukie’s fault. She’s an old pal of mine, but she’s like this, um, dancer? Street performer? Well, all she has to do is start dancing while her friend Kaori plays the lute and all the men come running. The good thing is after she’s all done they all come pouring back in here for a cold drink!” They all laughed, and Daichi felt a bit better knowing it wasn’t for any sinister reason the tavern was empty. Bokuto continued, “You know if you wanted to check out her act I wouldn’t be offended! From what I hear her dancing can get kind of, umm, alluring.”  
Suga spoke up before Daichi could say anything. “Oh it’s fine, she’s not his type!”  
Thank goodness Bokuto had not served them drinks yet, because if he had Daichi would have spit out his drink. He whirled around in his seat to glare at Suga, his cheeks flaming hot.

“Suga!! What the hell?”

Suga grinned and shrugged, not even trying to look innocent. Bokuto shared a quick look with Akaashi, and with a smirk leaned on the counter toward Daichi.

“Oh ho? Soooooo, if _she’s_ not your type, then who is, Master Daichi?”  
Daichi felt like he wanted to die. “W-What? No, I don’t have a type, not exactly, he’s just being an idiot.” He chuckled nervously. By the look on Bokuto’s face, he did not buy it for a second. Luckily, a pale, slender hand settled on Bokuto’s muscular shoulder and gently pulled him back.  
“Leave him be, Bokuto-san. It’s not common for a man to discuss his love life with people he’s just met.” Akaashi turned his face to Daichi his eyes looking a little sad. “I don’t blame you if you do not trust us just yet.”  
An overwhelming urge overtook Daichi to cheer the man up. “No, no, no, no, no! It’s not that I don’t trust you, I do! It’s not that at all, it’s just that I don’t really have a love life.”

As soon as he said it, he regretted it. Suga nearly fell off his stool in laughter, Asahi frantically putting his arm behind him to keep his friend steady. Bokuto and Akaashi stared at him in amusement, and Daichi simply felt like he wanted to die. He dropped his forehead to the bar and covered his head with his arms, trying to tune out the laughter.  
“Ha ha ha, it’s so true!” Chortled Suga, wiping a tear from his eye.  
Akaashi looked at him thoughtfully. “So, I take it you two are just friends?”  
Suga fell into another fit of giggles at the question. “Oooooh yes, just friends. I have a type too, and it’s definitely not him!” He shoved his fingers into Daichi’s side, causing him to hop back up in his seat with a yelp.  
“Stop doing that! My ribs are probably bruised from how many times you’ve jabbed me today!”  
“So, you’re really not going to tell us what your type is, Master Daichi?” Bokuto asked, his lip in a pout, his eyes wide and golden.  
It was odd seeing such a large man pouting, yet it still seemed to have an effect on Daichi. He groaned and leaned forward in defeat.

“Ugh, fine. Um, I guess my type is…” he let his mind wander to an image from his past, a skinny, disheveled boy with thick black hair spreading in all different directions, “Well, it doesn’t matter if they have perfect hair, that never bothered me.” He chuckled, wondering if Kuroo was still unable to get his hair under control. “Probably more lanky than muscular, but still athletic.” He smiled as he remembered more. “He doesn’t have to be rich either, in fact, I’d prefer not so he’d be more down to earth... and he most likely he would always be getting into trouble.”  
“Getting into trouble?” Suga asked incredulously. “Mr. Reliable wants a troublemaker?”  
Daichi laughed, “Yeah…I do.” He glanced back to Bokuto to see the other man practically vibrating with excitement. “Bokuto, are you okay?”  
“YES!! Ahem, sorry, yes, I’m fine! Great! Master Daichi, I think your type sounds great, you should definitely follow your heart! Don’t let anyone else distract you from your dream, and soon, _really_ soon I’m sure you’ll meet him and you’ll live happily ever after-“  
“Bokuto-san, I think you’re overdoing it. They’ve been sitting here for a while and you haven't even gotten their drinks yet.”  
Bokuto swept into action and soon had a filled mug in front of each of them. He even whirled in the back to call a man named Komi and asked him to make them some food, on the house. While he bustled about, Daichi leaned over to Akaashi.  
“Listen, I know it’s none of my business…” He began but was unsure if he should ask.  
“Continue, Master Daichi, it’s alright,” Akaashi urged politely.  
“Well, when we first came in here we heard you guys talking. We didn’t hear what you said, but it sounded serious, and Bokuto looked really distracted when he came in. Is everything okay?”  
Akaashi smiled and nodded. “Yes, something did happen, something of a personal nature I guess you could say, but I think it’s passed. I think talking with you here has already alleviated some of our concerns, so thank you.”  
“Oh, um, you’re welcome. I don’t know what I did, but I’m glad it’s better.”  
“Ok! We’ve got chicken and some roasted vegetables for our favorite customers, coming right up!”  
They spent the rest of the afternoon in the tavern, enjoying the laughter and the food. It was strange for Daichi to reveal such personal thoughts to friends and even people he had just met, yet it had brought an instant relief as soon as he had. Saying it out loud almost felt like it had ceased to be a dream and brought it to reality. Kuroo was still alive and somewhere close by, and Daichi was hoping that Kuroo was still thinking of him too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve upped the rating to Mature based on some future chapters, the way the story is heading it’s liable to get dark and violent in some spots and smutty in others, so I figured this was a safe bet.  
> I’ll also update tags as I go along with new blossoming relationships, but not yet, I don’t want to give anything away ;)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daichi experiences an “eventful” banquet

The day of the banquet flew by quickly for Daichi, considering all he did was play dress up for Suga. Regardless of the chilly nights, he had already decided he would rather sleep naked than have to put on another garment. In the end he had to admit Suga really knew his way around clothes. He was adorned in a crisp white tunic underneath a crushed velvet coat of midnight blue with little silver jewels scattered across it like starlight. As he looked at himself in the mirror it seemed like he was an entirely different man.  
“Hmm, I think I look rather handsome.” He said with a smirk. There was a snort behind him, and he turned to see Asahi and Suga standing there trying not to laugh. “What, you don’t think I do?”  
“Of course you look handsome,” Suga said with an eye roll. “I only spent all day dressing you up and down to make sure you do!”  
Asahi nodded, “It really suits you, it’s just funny to hear you say that you think you look handsome. You’re not one to brag about your looks.”  
“Hmm, true, but it’s been awhile since I’ve looked this fancy.”  
“Yup, and you’re going to be late if you keep staring at your reflection.”  
Daichi’s face fell at the reminder. “I wish I didn’t have to go,” he said solemnly.  
“The Prince is throwing this banquet to welcome you back. Why wouldn’t you go?”  
Daichi shook his head. “I don’t know, I have a weird feeling about tonight. He only said the banquet was in my honor, personally I think it was an excuse.”  
Suga frowned, “An excuse for what?”  
“I don’t know, but I’m sure I’ll find out. You two keep alert, okay? Be safe.”  
They both assured him they would and shooed him out the door. He felt a little grumpy about leaving them behind. He was not happy the Prince would not allow either of them to attend him at the banquet, not even Suga. He was nervous about remembering all his manners without his friend by his side.  
When he arrived at the grand banquet hall, it was already bustling with people. He gazed inside at the flurry of colorful dresses and men in elegant coats and robes, the music of a string quartet and the chortle of insincere laughter floated out to him.  
“I’d rather walk on hot coals,” Daichi murmured under his breath and took a step inside. He knew he would have to seek out his uncle immediately, according to what Suga drilled into his brain. After scanning the hall he spotted Prince Satori in a crowd of Lords, telling some sort of story that had the surrounding men chuckling. As he approached the Prince called out to him in his sing song voice.  
“Daichi-kuuuuuun! There’s my nephew, come here, I have to introduce you to everyone.”  
Daichi put on his best manners, but he prayed he would not have to repeat any of the names that were rattled off as he bowed in greeting. There was one name that rang out like a bell: Daishou Suguru. He bowed toward Daichi with a thin smile, his hair flipped over and grazing the side of his face as he led him slightly away from the crowd to speak privately.   
“Master Daichi, it is such an honor. I’ve heard so many things about you.”  
“Good things, I hope.”  
“Oh, of _course_.”  
Daichi didn’t believe him for a second. “So, Lord Daishou, I am curious how you came to be his Majesty’s Financial Advisor.”  
The other man’s smile deepened and he licked his lips, resembling the mascot adorning his guard’s armor. “Well, His Majesty as you know trained with the Royal Guard for a spell. After that he came to finish his education in Nohebi, which is where we met and became _great_ friends. Of course the King left the city for his war (It grated Daichi’s nerves for him to refer to the King so commonly) and his Majesty the Prince was sent here to fill in his position. It was only a year or two later he sent for me personally to fill the role of Financial Advisor.” He puffed his chest out slightly, and Daichi resisted the urge to prick it with a pin to see if it would deflate.   
“You brought a great many guards with you as well? Was that necessary?”   
The other man narrowed his sharp eyes at Daichi, “At first it was necessary as my protection as I traveled. Upon arrival the Prince was impressed by their skills and employed them as he saw fit. I believe it irked the members of the Royal Guard, but the Prince can use his tools as he likes to keep the Kingdom in order.”  
They turned as one of the other lords called out for Daishou. He bowed again to Daichi and swept over to join the man. Daichi let out a breath, using the chance to scan the banquet hall again. There was something about Daishou he couldn’t lay a finger on. He was well mannered and very polite, but he felt like his skin crawled whenever he opened his mouth. If anyone was behind the absurdly high taxes plaguing the Kingdom, Daichi was convinced it was Daishou. Or rather he and the Prince were working together on it. The Prince was too shrewd and controlling for Daishou to get away with it behind his back.  
“Ah Master Daichi!” A voice behind him called. He turned and saw one of the other lords his Uncle had introduced him to, and he began to panic knowing there was no way he could pull his name out. He smiled warmly in response.  
“M-My Lord! Are you enjoying the banquet?” Internally Daichi hoped that would suffice. He was relieved when the man did not seem to notice.   
“It’s a fine banquet, of course! I was hoping to introduce you to my daughter. Misaki, this is Master Daichi just returned from Karasuno.” A young lady covered from head to toe in ruffles flounced over to him, her round eyes wide as she smiled up at Daichi, and curtsied.  
“It’s a pleasure, My Lady,” Daichi said as he bowed politely. The girl erupted in an absurd string of giggles that did not seem to end. They were eventually interrupted when two more lords came over with their daughters in tow. The situation began to make Daichi nervous. Soon he was completely surrounded in giggles and fluffy dresses, and the temperature of the room became suffocatingly hot. It was hard for him to keep up with the conversation between the ladies, so he simply smiled and nodded, hoping that eventually he would find an escape. One girl’s voice, however, caught his ear as she spoke up.  
“Well, your village may be in a prime location to receive travelers, but no village can beat Wakutani in textile production,” she bragged with her nose in the air.   
“I have been to Wakutani,” Daichi interjected, earning a dazzling smile from the young woman. He continued, “It was a couple years ago, however. I hope it’s doing better now?”  
The girl blinked in surprise, her smile falling a bit. “Doing better? We were never doing poorly! My Father assures me that we’re among the richest villages in the entire Kingdom,” she boasted, the other ladies answering in eye rolls and scoffs. Daichi frowned but did not correct her, hoping he had not embarrassed her. The truth was last time he had visited Wakutani, he had been overwhelmed by the poor state of the village. The common people were working their fingers to the bone to produce garments worthy of export while being pressured under the increase of taxes. The girl's father must have known the state of things, and most likely hid it from his daughter. Once again Daichi felt slightly helpless. What could he possibly do to help the situation. All he knew in that moment was that he needed a break.  
“Oh, is that Lord Shomo? I hope you will all excuse me, there is something I need to speak with him about.” Daichi rushed a bow to the ladies and walked away, hearing the ladies twittering about who Lord Shomo was. It happened to be a name Daichi pulled out on the spot knowing there would be no real person with that name. Shomo happened to be a stray dog that wandered the streets of Karasuno that would follow him around occasionally.  
He slid along the wall, taking a chance to breathe and wondered how much longer he would have to stay. As he leaned against the cold stone his eyes paused on a couple members of the Royal Guard standing watch. Even across the room he could see the tension in their bodies, the frantic flicker of their eyes darting to all corners of the hall. Something had them on edge, and Daichi was determined to find out what it was. Ohira Reon, one of the senior most guards under Semi, was closest to him, and kept his demeanor a bit calmer than the others. Daichi walked over to him, being obvious so he would not startle the guard with his presence.  
“Master Daichi,” he greeted in his deep confident voice, “Is everything alright?”  
“I came over to ask you the same thing. The guards seem anxious, is there something I should know?”  
“No,” he said curtly, but then frowned knowing what he said was a little rude. “No, you have nothing to worry about, My Lord,” he spit out, a glance to Daichi to see if he was offended.  
Daichi nodded, “It’s fine, I understand you’ll have things you can’t tell me. I was just wondering if I should be worried for the safety of our guests and His Majesty.”  
Ohira relaxed slightly, “Thank you for your concern. It’s probably nothing—“ he cut himself off, and Daichi could see the gears turning inside his head, deciding how much he could reveal. “I guess you could say we are expecting something, but that something has not happened, and it’s putting us on edge. But no one here is in danger, I assure you.”  
Daichi thanked him, relieved to get an ounce of honesty for once that evening. He excused himself so Ohira could continue his duty and walked toward the long grand table full of food, weaving through the crowd.. The reluctant Knight had told him they were expecting something, and they were clearly agitated. Every bit of it smelled like a trap, and Daichi had a sickening feeling he knew exactly who they were trying to catch. He wished he could warn Kuroo to stay away, but he had no way of contacting him. The only mention of him had been through Semi himself, and he couldn’t ask him for obvious reasons.  
Suddenly he blinked in surprise when he saw a blur streak across the floor and under the table. He glanced around, but no one else had seemed to notice. He walked forward quietly, joining a middle aged lady picking at the food. Daichi grabbed a handful of something and “accidentally” dropped a couple, earning a look of disgust from the woman. He apologized and dropped to his knee, scooping up the food and peering under the cloth to see what was under there. It was too dark to see clearly, but he flinched in surprise when he saw two tiny flickers of light next to each other, and then they were gone. It had almost looked like glowing eyes, but Daichi couldn’t be sure, and before he could figure it out he saw the other side of the cloth fly up and the black blur scurried away. He stood up and quickly followed after it, dumping the food in his hand in a potted plant he passed. The blur streaked out the open door to the balcony and Daichi slowly followed it out into the chilly night air. Right at the edge in front of the ornate railing was a little black kitten, cleaning himself without a care in the world. Daichi chuckled and knelt down, stretching his arm out but doing no more.  
“Come here, little guy,” he said in a soft low voice, and the kitten stopped his grooming to cock his head, his eyes catching the light from inside and shining for a second like two tiny lamps. When Daichi did not move, the kitten mewed sweetly and crept forward, sniffing his finger tips. He cautiously tested the waters with a little lick of his rough tongue and then rubbed his soft head against them. Daichi slowly turned his hand and began to gently stroke the silky fur. The kitten no longer seemed cautious as he arched his back into his hand, little vibrations of purring tickling the the pads of his fingers. He scooped the kitten up in his hand and stood up, snuggling it up to his chest as he continued to stroke him. The kitten seemed perfectly content next to the warmth of his body, immediately rubbing his body up to him and curling up in his hand, falling fast asleep.   
“Where did you even come from,” Daichi asked him, but the kitten only answered with more little purrs. He was just beginning to wonder if he could get away with spending the rest of the banquet in the quiet peace of the balcony when he heard a piercing scream from inside. He whirled around to look when everything erupted in chaos. Women ran by the door with their skirts hiked up, screaming and crying. He saw most of the men yelling, barking out orders as they kept looking down at the ground, some even pulling out swords they had only ever used for decoration. Daichi slipped the kitten inside of his coat, where it did not even stir, and stepped into the room to investigate. It seemed like there were over a hundred cats filling the banquet hall of all ages, colors, and temperaments. Many playful ones (that looked like they had been given catnip) were spitting and batting at the ladies’ ruffled skirts. Some lazier ones had hopped up onto the food table, plopped down and began eating whatever had not been knocked onto the floor. Even the fallen food was being swept under the table by little paws slipping in and out from under the table cloth. One man whirled in front of Daichi, a hissing orange cat attached to his back with his back paws flailing as he jerked around. The place looked like a circus, and if Daichi had not been so shocked, it would have been hilarious. He could hear the guards yelling out orders from somewhere, but they were impossible to make out above the racket of screams, hisses and yells. One man rushed past him outside, trying to toss the cat in his arms off the balcony. Daichi almost ran after him to stop him, but the cat easily bit the man and ran back inside, leaving the man bleeding and whimpering over his wound.   
With a deep breath Daichi took action. He weaved through the churning waves of people til he made it to the wall, where he slinked along safely until he reached the doorway to the hallway. He snuck out and immediately heard his name called. To his left he saw Asahi and Suga running toward him, apparently alarmed by the noise. He opened his mouth to say something when he heard his voice called again from the other direction. Sir Semi and Sir Shirabu were sprinting toward him in full armor, their swords at the ready.  
“What’s happening?!” Semi demanded.   
“Umm, cats,” was all Daichi could muster under the circumstances.   
Semi’s eyes widened, “Kuroo is here? But we’ve been keeping a look out for-“  
“No, not those ones. Actual cats. Everywhere,” He said and pointed inside. All of them peeked in the doorway and froze at the sight. They stood there still until they were startled by two yowling cats that streaked past them and ran down the hallway.  
“We have to contain them somehow. Shirabu, go get the others and find as many crates as you can, crates that shut.” The younger man grimaced, but nodded and ran off. Semi turned back to Daichi. “Can I have your help, as well as your guard?”  
“Of course, just tell us what to do,” Daichi answered with Asahi nodding behind him.   
“Excellent, let’s go,” and Semi and Asahi ran into the screaming cat circus. Daichi immediately turned to Suga and slipped the kitten out of his coat. Though Suga had been stunned silent by the events, as soon as he saw the kitten his face lit up.  
“Awwww! He’s precious!”   
Daichi handed it to him carefully, Suga immediately snuggling him into his robes. “I didn’t want him to get caught up in it, can you take him to my room and hide him?”  
Suga simply nodded and ran back the way he came, trying not to jostle the kitten too much.  
Daichi watched him go and then turned back to the banquet hall. He winced and took a deep breath, stepping into battle with the bravest face he could. Luckily Daichi had a gift for keeping people calm even in strenuous situations. He took it upon himself to guide the guests out of the banquet hall as quickly as possible and occasionally detaching a cat from a person’s coat, dress or hair. He even had to rescue one maiden who had fainted in the middle of everything, and had two cats that had sitting on top of her. He shooed the cats away and swept the lady up into his arms. As soon as he emerged from the banquet hall he simply set her on a settee and left her there for any servants that may walk by and returned to find that the chaos had dissipated. While he had concentrated on the guests, the knights had boxed as many cats as they could fit in a crate and carried them outside to be released into the night, hoping they wouldn’t find another way back in.   
As he passed by a couple knights heaving the last crate, he made his way to the group standing in the middle. Prince Satori stood amongst his Royal Guard with Daishou by his side, who looked absolutely livid by the situation. He was admonishing the Royal Guard for giving the situation away so that Kuroo and his men were not fooled. At one point he accused one of them to be a traitor, causing the Prince’s soldiers to seethe.   
“We’re the Royal Guard,” snipped Shirabu, “We do not consort with common thieves. Nor do we take orders from common Lords.”  
Daishou’s eyes looked like daggers, and he opened his mouth to retort when the Prince laid a hand on his shoulder.   
“Shirabu,” he said, his voice sounding deadly instead of his typically enthusiastic lilt, “That’s no way to speak to a Lord, now is it? Where are your manners?”  
The young man seemed to shrink under the gaze of the Prince and hung his head, his lips pressed tight. He gave a little bow, “My apologies your Majesty, I hope I have not embarrassed you. And to you, Lord Daishou, please forgive me.”  
Daishou raised his nose in the air, his mouth twisted in irritation. But the Prince smiled and patted the pink hair in front of him. “Very good! Now that’s settled, we do need to discuss why our trap failed.” His eyes flickered to Daichi, his sharp stare sending goosebumps down his spine. “Daichi-kun, why do _you_ think it failed?”  
Daichi shrugged, “Forgive me, your highness, but I had no idea you had set the banquet up as a trap. I can offer little perspective on why it failed. I’m still not even sure clear who the trap was set for, though I can only assume it was meant for the cat thieves I’ve heard so much about.”  
“Ohhh? And what makes you think that?”  
At that moment Daichi felt something rub against his leg. A lovely calico cat was shoving her body against his leg and then looked up at him with a loud meow. He grinned and bent down, scooping her up in his arms. “Well, Your Majesty, if the trap was not for them I don’t think we would have had a feline infestation this evening.”  
The Prince stared at Daichi through his heavy lidded eyes, his mouth twisted in irritation. Before he could answer though, a Nohebi guard burst through the door. “My Lord Daishou! It’s the Mausoleum!”  
Daishou’s eyebrows lifted in surprise, “What about the Mausoleum?!” He growled.  
“It’s been broken into. It’s—It’s empty!”  
“Why would someone break into a Mausoleum? Grave robbers?” Asked Semi, already stressed and completely confused by the turn of events.   
The guard was frozen stiff as he stared at Semi, his eyes flicked around at the Royal Guard and Daichi and then back to Daishou, who was silent as emotions of fear, rage and confusion all flickered repeatedly on his face.   
“Lord Daishou,” The Prince’s cool voice broke the silence, “I’d venture to guess our “cats” decided to rob the cemetery instead of the castle, though I have no clue why. Go take your guard and investigate. _Now_ ,” He hissed and both Daishou and the guard gave a quick bow and fled. The Prince sighed and ran a hand through his wave of bright red hair. “Well, wasn’t this a pleasant evening. I think it’s time I retired for the evening, it was a bit too eventful for my taste.”  
“Your Majesty, what about—“ Semi began.  
“Sir Semi,” The Prince turned to look his knight straight in the eyes, his face serious, “Do not concern yourself with Daishou’s investigation. Stay out of it, got it?”  
Semi flushed from the stern tone, but nodded. Without another word the Prince swept out of the room, leaving Daichi, Asahi and the Royal Guard in an awkward silence.  
“He’s never spoken to you that way before,” Ohira said softly.  
“I know,” Semi replied. His face gave away no emotion, but his voice sounded a touch rougher than usual.  
“I can’t stand Daishou, or his sneaky guards, they’re always up to something and when you ask they’re all like ‘Sorry, it’s a need-to-know situation only’” Shirabu grumbled, giving the last part of his statement a dopey voice.  
“The Mausoleum,” Daichi wondered out loud, “what could possibly be in there of any value? If it was simply grave robbing it would have been much simpler to dig out of the surrounding graves than trying to break into the Mausoleum.”  
“I agree,” Semi said, gaining some confidence back in his voice, “There is something strange about the situation. But the Prince gave his orders, it’s not for us to find out.”  
“What?! We’re not gonna even try to find out what’s going on?” Goshiki cried, his fists clenched by his side.  
Semi shot him a glare, and the younger man shrank away. “We were given a command, Goshiki, leave it alone. You know our duty.”  
With that the conversation ended and they were dismissed. Daichi felt relief at finally being able to walk back to his room in a completely barren hallway, save for him and Asahi. He stretched and gave a big yawn.  
“Rough night, huh Daichi?” Asahi asked with a grin.  
“Oh yeah, so many noblemen and ladies to butter up. It was exhausting.”  
Asahi laughed, “So the whole battle between cats and humans for dominance of the banquet hall, that wasn’t?”  
Daichi gave his friend a sly grin. “No way, that’s when the night finally got interesting.” They chuckled, but then Daichi’s smile faded. “Despite that though, I’m confused about a lot of things, I just wish I could….” His voice trailed off, but Asahi nodded.  
“You wish you could talk to Kuroo.”  
“Yes, I wish—Hey! What are you talking about? Why would I want to talk to Kuroo? How do you even know that name?”  
Asahi cocked his head at him, “Isn’t he the one you’re in love with?”  
“Shhhhhhhhh!!!!” Daichi hissed as he reached his arms high up to cover Asahi’s mouth as he glanced frantically around to see if anyone was around. Thankfully they were completely alone. “Who told you I was in love with him?!” He whispered up at his friend and removed his hands.  
“Suga.”  
“I didn’t tell Suga anything, how does he know?!”  
Asahi shrugged. Daichi huffed and stalked toward his room, throwing open the door. Inside was Suga, sitting by the fire with the little black kitten curled up on his lap. He smiled brightly as they both walked in and shut the door behind them, ignoring the glowering look Daichi was giving him.  
“Did you have fun?” He asked innocently.  
“Why did you tell Asahi I was in love with Kuroo Tetsurou, leader of the thief gang?”  
“Aren’t you?”  
“......Yes! Of course! But I never told you, how did you know?”  
Suga simply rolled his eyes.. “I used my brain. I gathered what you had said about your “type” when we were at Bokuto’s tavern, which matched the description a certain leader of a local thief gang. Plus, every time his name is mentioned you stiffen up, I can practically see your heart beating faster. If Kageyama were here, even he would be able to tell you were in love with him.”  
Asahi snorted, “It’s true, sorry Daichi.”  
Daichi sighed and shoved off his coat and boots. He trudged over to his bed and fell on it.   
“So…” Suga said, not letting the topic drop despite Daichi’s exhaustion, “Are you gonna try and see him?”  
Daichi sat up, his face in a sad frown. “I want to, but it’s not easy. I assume he’s hiding out in the forest, but it’s immense. And even if I decided to go for a walk or ride, the Prince never lets me leave without an escort. Or more likely he would send someone to tail me, and then I’d end up leading them right to Kuroo.”  
Suga frowned, determined to come up with a solution. “Well, what about tomorrow?”  
“Why tomorrow?”  
“Because after the events of this evening the knights will be busy! They’ll still be dealing with the aftermath of the banquet, so just leave early in the morning and go for a ride. If you think you’re being tailed, lose them somehow, you’ll figure it out.”  
Suddenly Daichi’s heart began to pound. Suga was right, this was his chance to search for Kuroo while the castle guards were preoccupied. He was steadily growing nervous at the prospect of seeing Kuroo again, he wondered if the illusive man would even be happy to see him.  
“Daichi,” Suga said in a stern tone.  
“What?”  
“It’s gonna be fine. I’m sure he can’t wait to see you.”  
“How do you know?”  
Suga stood up, scooping the kitten off his lap and walked over to his bedside. He held the kitten out for Daichi to take, who accepted the black fluff ball happily. “I have a good intuition about these things. Do you think Asahi would have ever made a move on Nishinoya if I hadn’t meddled?”  
“No, I wouldn’t have,” Asahi answered for him, fully admitting his own cowardice.  
Daichi laughed, “Ok, I trust you. Tomorrow it is.”

The next morning was grey with twinges of pink as the sun began to creep over the rolling meadows. No sound was heard except for the creaks and thuds of a squeaky wheel tumbling over bumps on the dusty road and a gentle hum of a tavern song. An old man balancing on top of a rickety cart looked like an exotic bird bedecked in a flowing garment of orange and yellow, which rippled in the chilled breeze. He closed his sharp eyes and breathed in the brisk air, never breaking the tune he was humming nor the cat like grin on his face.   
“Sensei! Where are you off to so early?”  
The monk aboard the cart opened his eyes and gazed over the top of his shaggy pony. Ahead were two Shiratorizawa soldiers walking back to the city.  
“Good morning! It’s time for me to roam from village to village. I am sad to say goodbye to the great City, but the cool autumn winds are picking up, and I need to distribute these donations given by the kind Lords.” He motioned to the back of the cart, which held heaps and heaps of garments and rags, as well as a couple crates of food. The soldiers peeked inside and grimaced, one even covered his face with his hand.  
“Not the best smelling donations, are they?”  
The monk sitting upon the carriage sighed dramatically, “No, this bunch in particular are not of the highest quality. But a man should always accept kindness with gratitude, even if it smells like moldy cheese.” He chuckled as the soldiers backed away from the cart.  
“Well, stay safe on the road. Good day Sensei!”  
“Be well, my children!” With a flick of the reins the shaggy pony shook his head and lurched forward, the tavern tune beginning again from the man as he sent a final wave to the soldiers.  
When he was a safe distance away he held his hand up in front of his face with his palm down. A glint of gold shone in the early rays of the sun from between his knuckles, and his smirk began to spread a bit wider. The coin tumbled across his fingers with finesse, and with a snap of his fingers disappeared. He let out a laugh heard only by himself and his frumpy pony as he rode toward the first village on his long list of donation sites.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Do you think Daichi will finally meet up with Kuroo in the next chapter?


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daichi takes a chance in the forest to find Kuroo, but will he be able to find him?

Daichi rose early and quickly dressed. He paid no attention to the nicer garments Suga had been insisting he wear since they arrived to the city, but instead slipped into his comfortable riding gear. He had just finished shoving his boots on when his friend rushed into the room.  
“So you’ve chosen to completely forgo knocking?” Daichi asked quizzically in lieu of a greeting.  
Suga rolled his eyes and tossed him a shoulder sack. “Here, I snuck some food out of the kitchens for you. Who knows how long you’ll be gone, so I figured you’d get hungry.”  
Daichi gave him a smile as he slipped into his cloak and swung the sack strap over his shoulder. “Thanks, Suga. How did it look out there?”  
“Not many people out yet but a few servants and some of the guards. They look worn ragged, I wouldn't be surprised if they were working all night. I would imagine you would be the last thing on their minds.”  
“Hmm, well I guess I’ll find out. I’ll try not to be back too late. If they ask just tell them I wanted to go on a ride, a little peace from the chaos of the banquet.”  
A little meow got his attention, and he looked down at his feet where his little black kitten was rubbing up against his boot.  
“Sorry little guy, you can’t come with me today.” He bent down and scooped the kitten up, nuzzling the soft fur with his nose. His heart swelled a little when the kitten poked his little pink nose against his own. With a pout he reluctantly handed his little buddy off to another set of eager hands. “Stay here with Suga, Shiro. He’ll keep you safe.”  
Suga gave him a dead panned stare. “Shiro? Really?”  
Daichi smirked, “Well, I couldn’t name him Kuro. I’ll be back as soon as I can, and if the guards get worried, assure them I can take care of myself, so hopefully they don’t send anyone after me.” ***  
He walked through the halls at a normal gait, knowing that if he crept around it would only make him look suspicious. He greeted any passing servants as usual, and spotted three members of the Royal Guard further down the hallway. He made it a point not to look at them as he turned toward the main entrance, acting as natural as he possibly could. He breathed out a little sigh as he emerged and made his way down the path toward the Royal Stables without hearing anyone call out to him.  
The stable was dimly lit and quiet as he entered, only one stable hand grunting as he mucked out a stall nearby. He poked his balding head out of the stall when he heard some horses nickering as Daichi passed them by.  
“Ah, young Master Daichi! Up early this morning, aren’t you?”  
Daichi smiled warmly, “Good morning Makato-san! Yes, I woke up with the urge to go on a ride. It’s been so long since I’ve been through the Forest. Not since His Majesty the King was last home before the war.”  
Old man Makato leaned against the stall door and gave a heavy sigh. “Ah good King Wakatoshi. I do hope he returns safely soon. Well, I can be happy knowing I sent him off with my best stallion! That wild rogue would only let the King ride him after all, and he’s faster than any horse ever bred in the Kingdom!”  
Daichi nodded, “I’m glad to know he went off with a horse of such high quality. Ah, speaking of a horse with high quality, how are you old boy?” He cooed toward the stall next to Makato was, where an elegant horse with a gleaming black coat had poked his head out. His lips were twitching as he stretched his long neck out toward his master. Daichi laughed as he reached his hand out to scratch the soft muzzle and stroked the bold white stripe that swept up the horse’s face.  
“He missed you. You’ve been neglecting him, Master Daichi.”  
“I know. Well today I plan on making it up to him. We’re gonna spend the whole day together, just us two. Can you help me get him ready?”  
“Sure, sure,” Makato answered as he set his pitchfork against the wall of the stall, “Just be careful out in them woods. That’s where the thieves are rumored to be hiding.”  
“I’ll be fine,” he assured the old man as they worked on getting his horse saddled. “We’ll just stick to the paths, won’t we Nightwing?”  
Makato snorted, “That’s what you call him? No offense My Lord but you’ve never been the best at naming your animals. I still shudder when I remember your old pooch the King gave you after your parents passed away, God rest them. Roar Roar was it?” He laughed as he swung the saddle up and fastened it in place.  
Daichi pouted as he finished putting the bridle on. “I was four when I named him. And I had this thing about lions, so I think I wanted to pretend Roar Roar was a lion.”  
“Then why didn’t you name him Lion?”  
“Because I was four!”  
Makato laughed even harder as he gave Nightwing a pat on the rump. “Well, you best get off. Have yourself a pleasant ride, Master Daichi.”  
Daichi thanked him as he swung up into the saddle, though a bit more gruffly than he typically would. The stable hand was still chuckling as he trotted out of the stable and out into the fresh morning air.  
He used a side gate within the city wall that was closest to the forest, guarded by only two soldiers. Luckily they were tired after their night watch and languidly waved him through. His body quivered with excitement as he gave Nightwing a nudge, and they took off at a brisk pace down the path into the mist laden forest. With a deep inhale the musky scent of pine and dried leaves seeped into his lungs and into his bloodstream. He felt truly alive for the first time since arriving to the city.  
After a while he slowed down to a walk as he approached a fork in the path. He believed that if he took the steep and difficult path to to the left it would lead him closer to where Kuroo and his friends were possibly hiding. A feeling began to creep up his spine, however, as he paused his horse. It was quiet except for some birds singing in the branches and the occasional curl of leaves swirling along the forest floor in a twisted breeze. And then he heard the soft clop of hooves a ways down the path behind him, stopping before they came around the curve. He did not dare look behind him. He wanted his tail to believe he was still blissfully unaware of his presence. He jerked his hips in the saddle and urged Nightwing down the path to the right. His mind worked like lightning as he planned. The last thing he wanted was to lead his follower straight to Kuroo, so he would need to shake him off as tactfully as possible.  
This path was windy but flat, so Daichi sped up even faster at a playful canter. He laughed as Nightwing flicked his mane and practically pranced as he stretched his legs. Another fork in the path was upcoming if he remembered correctly. This time he would go left, knowing that path curled into the more ancient part of the forest where the trees were old and gnarled, and roots had broken through the ground and the branches stretched out and hovered lower over the path. There was a wide curve ahead and Daichi slowed only slightly, hoping that around the bend he could glance at whoever was tailing him. Sure enough, he heard the echo of hooves that did not belong to Nightwing ring out behind him, and his eyes flickered in his peripheral vision. He could barely make out the soldier, but he grinned as he was easily able to recognize him. And with that knowledge, his plan worked itself out quickly.  
He sped his horse up to nearly a break neck speed. Nightwing let out a spirited neigh and picked his feet nimbly over the over the roots as he sped through the branches. Daichi allowed them to continue for quite a ways deeper and deeper into the forest until he was certain he was far ahead. Further down the path there was a thick branch hanging low that he could easily duck under to avoid hitting it, though avoiding it was not his plan. He slipped his feet out of the stirrups, and leaning forward in the saddle lifted his legs and tucked them underneath him. His timing was just right as he launched himself out of the saddle and gripped onto the branch. As Nightwing slipped from underneath him, he swung his legs back and forth to gain some momentum and threw himself off the branch into a pile of leaves to the side of the path. He quickly scrambled up and fluffed the leaves back up so it wasn’t obvious he had just landed into it. Hearing the approaching hooves he ran into the forest and hid behind a larger tree and waited. Sure enough a roan stallion came tearing around the bend with a determined looking Goshiki on his back. He bit his lip as his eyes bored ahead, crouched forward as he quickly approached the low hanging branch. Daichi was impressed as he watched the young night easily avoid it as he leaned to the side, his horse not even slightly veering from the path. He sped around the corner and was out of sight, but Daichi waited until the sound of hooves had long faded away. He huffed out a quiet laugh. Goshiki was a spirited young man, and he was pleased he could give him an exciting chase. He wasn’t worried about Nightwing at all. If the knight couldn’t catch him he would simply wander right back to the castle, having an incredible sense of direction and excellent training.  
It was not until the forest was stilled and only the birds could be heard did he begin to move carefully through the forest. He knew the paths and the trees like the back of his hand, but he had no clue where Kuroo and his friends would be hiding. When they were children Kuroo never hid in the forest, but weaved in and out of the market tents and hid in shacks and run down stables. This whole day may be a total bust, but Daichi was determined to give it a chance. He had the feeling that if he trusted for fate to cross their paths, it would not be under good circumstances.  
For a solid hour or so he wandered through the forest, picturing the map of the different sections in his head. If his calculations were correct, he was nearing the creek where nearby were plenty of clearings surrounded by thick brush, the perfect place for Kuroo’s band to hide. He was cautious to continuously make sure he was not being followed and his tracks were covered, but Daichi had a good sense to know if anyone was around. He had not sensed anyone’s presence since Goshiki chased after his riderless horse, except for the birds and other woodland creatures.  
He finally reached the creek and bent over to have a quick drink. As he shuffled away from the creek, the hair on the back of his neck began to prickle. Someone was watching him. He did not turn his head, but let his eyes flicker around the forest around him. Not even a shadow could be spotted out of place. He continued on and felt the prickle again. His breath began to quicken as all at once had the feeling he was completely surrounded. He stopped dead still within a cluster of trees. He turned around and still spotted no one.  
“I know you’re there, all of you,” he called, sticking his chin out with confidence but raised his hands in the air so they knew he was not threatening. An eon of a minute passed before anything happened. Then all at once he was aware of a small slender man standing to his left.  
“I never thought you’d make it out here on your own,” said Kenma with a smirk.  
Daichi gave him a big smile. “Kenma! You’ve really grown up. How did you get your hair like that?” He asked as he bent toward him, reaching his fingers into the bright blonde strands that were growing out.  
Kenma did not flinch from his touch but shrugged. “There’s a certain flower you can use to dye hair. It’s kinda growing out though.”  
“Wow,” he said with a smile and looked around. “So, your friends are just shy or…”  
They turned when they heard a snort. Yaku was strutting toward him with a smug grin on his face. “Kai owes me five gold coins. I said you’d be able to tell we were here, and he thought you’d be clueless.”  
Daichi gave a look of mock offense. “I thought he knew me better than that.”  
“It’s been five years at least since you’ve been here. I thought maybe your skills would degrade as you were subjected to your fancy boy’s school,” snickered Kai who was simply leaning against the trunk of an oak. “Now, can you guess how many are left?”  
Daichi narrowed his eyes as he glanced around slowly. “Four….no, five?”  
“Nice!” Praised Yaku and then cocked his head. “Do you remember Yamamoto and Fukunaga? They only just joined us when you left.”  
Daichi nodded with a smile to the two young men just appearing, one with large sharp eyes looking perpetually surprised, but offering him a polite smile and a bow. The other stomping up and clapping him hard on the back. Daichi was just able to tear his eyes from the bright blonde mohawk when three more young men joined them, who were entirely unknown to Daichi.  
Yaku stopped in front of each one to handle introductions, the first being a tall, smiling lad with brown spiked hair. “This here’s Inuoka. Inuoka Sou. Next is Shibayama,” he motioned to a much shorter boy with wispy dark hair parted down the middle as he nervously gave Daichi a bow. Next to him was an immensely tall boy with sharp green eyes and silver hair. He was staring at Daichi like he was a god and did not wait for Yaku to introduce him.  
“I’m Lev, Haiba Lev! You must be amazing for Yaku-san to compliment you so highly! He almost never praises me, he’s so hard to please for such a small guy. OUCH!” He fell forward as Yaku kicked his legs from behind. Daichi winced in sympathy, though he remembered Yaku being sensitive about his height even when he was younger and seeing how little he had grown since then he was certain his insecurities were even greater.  
He frowned and looked back at Kenma. “It looks like someone’s missing.”  
“He’s practicing alone. He’s gonna be pissed we saw you first. Come on, I better take you to him.” Kenma began to lead Daichi away, the others patting him on the back as he passed and began to deteriorate back into the woods.  
“Wait!” Cried the one introduced as Shibayama. His head jerked back and forth between Kenma and Daichi and then Yaku and then back to Kenma. “How can you just lead him straight to Kuroo-san? Would if he’s trying to arrest him and bring him to the Prince?!”  
“Relax, Shibayama, he and Kuroo were really close back in the day, he wouldn’t betray him,” Yaku tried to assure him, placing a hand on his shoulder.  
“But how do you know that? He’s been gone years, hasn’t he? And he’s the _Prince’s nephew_!”  
Yaku opened his mouth to say something when Daichi held his hand up. He walked up to the young man who looked almost frightened as he came near, being even smaller than Yaku. Daichi bent over slightly and placed his hands on his shoulders gently, giving him a warm smile.  
“Shibayama-kun, was it? Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you or any of your friends. I know there’s not much I can do to prove myself to you, but I will do my best. Yes, Prince Satori is my uncle, but so is King Wakatoshi. _He_ is my King and I am loyal to him. The rest of the Kingdom is in terrible condition because of the heavy taxes, and I’m determined to somehow change things for the better, but I do not know what to do. That’s one reason I’m here. The main reason, however,” A slight blush crept across his cheeks, “Well, I miss Kuroo. We were very close when we were younger, and I’d like very much to see him. Is that okay?”  
Little Shibayama’s eyes were wide as he listened to Daichi’s explanation. When he was finished, he pursed his lips as he thought it over. His eyes flickered over to Yaku, who smiled back at him and nodded. Finally he turned back to Daichi and nodded himself.  
“Yes...Yes that’s okay. I’m sorry for not believing you.”  
Daichi chuckled and patted his back. “Don’t worry. I would prefer you to be protective over your friends. They mean a lot to me after all.”  
“Come on,” interrupted Kenma with a tug on Daichi’s sleeve. With a parting wave he followed the quiet blonde into the thick of the forest. Daichi prided himself on being able to move through trees while hardly making any noise. Kenma put him to shame by not making a single sound even amongst the sticks, leaves and brush. It was not easy following him either as he led him through rows of prickly pine trees, up and down steep rocky hills, and then finally to a rocky cliff side looming high above him.  
“We’re gonna climb this?” Daichi asked nervously and glanced back to his companion.  
Kenma snorted and walked over to a bush that was growing up against the rock. The branches were pliant and not prickly, so it moved easily as Kenma shoved them aside. With his other hand his fingers grazed against the rock and before Daichi’s eyes it was like the rock melted away. He felt embarrassed when he realized Kenma was simply shoving aside a camouflaged curtain.  
“Go ahead,” Kenma said quietly, and Daichi followed his direction and bent down to enter the hole, just big enough for him to fit into. He fumbled around in the dark, his knees scraping the gravel as he held his hand out in front of him. It was pitch black except for a twinkling of light that seemed to be shifting a ways ahead of him.  
“You can crouch here at least,” offered Kenma’s floating voice, the quiet tones a bit louder in the close confines of the tunnel. Again Daichi followed his direction and gave his knees a reprieve. As he crouched and shuffled his feet, he lifted his hands above him so he could gauge just how much room his head had before he smacked it against rock. In this new position he moved a bit faster, anxious to reach the light. Anxious to see the person on the other side.  
He at last approached the shifting light and reached his hand out. His hand grazed what seemed to be a curtain of ivy that shifted in the wind, the light flickering between each line of green. He swiped aside the curtain and sucked a breath in. The mid morning sun was cresting over the peak of a mountaintop and bathing a sweeping meadow in warm light. The grass was still green with just a few peppering of brown grass settling in for autumn. In the middle of the valley was a crystal clear pond.  
Daichi slowly emerged from the darkness and into the light, stretching toward the sky to give his cramped muscles a break. His eyes swept back and forth across the picturesque scene when his eyes caught sight of a lone, dark figure standing by the pool. His feet moved instantly toward the man, every nerve in his body wanting to get closer to the person he had only dreamed of for the past five years. His eyes began to pick out details as he gained proximity, and visions flashed in his mind of a scraggly young boy, dirt rubbed on his face and caked in his wave of messy hair. _His scraped and bruised stick-like legs and arms turned into blurs as he snaked them around Daichi’s smaller frame as he wrestled him to the ground. The toothy grin sliding into a teasing smirk as it edged closer to Daichi’s own mouth. His heart in his chest threatening to burst out as he was pinned down and mouth ravaged in a messy flow of kisses._  
All the visions melted away as his eyes careened over the lanky figure in front of him. The man seemed to stretch up to the sky, his hair adding a few more inches in inky black waves. He wore no shirt, so Daichi was able to gain the perfect view of the sun-kissed skin stretching over his broad back. Sweat was trickling down the creases of his muscles and slid down his slender waist. The muscles flexed as he raised his arms up, a galant bow in his hand as he faced off across a makeshift target. His body rose and fell slightly as he breathed slowly and froze as he released the arrow straight into the bullseye across from him. Without taking a moment to rest he bent over to pick another arrow from the quiver when Kenma finally spoke, startling Daichi since he forgot he was still there.  
“Kuroo,” he said just loud enough that the tall man flinched.  
He set the arrow that was in his fingers back in the quiver and set the bow down. He ran his calloused fingers through his hair as he laughed.  
“It must be important for you to come out all this way, Kenma,” He said with a sly voice that sent shivers down Daichi’s spine. Kuroo finally turned around, a rotten grin spreading across his handsome face when he froze. His golden eyes widened as he soaked in the sight of Daichi, whose cheeks began to feel hot under the intense gaze. Kenma snorted as they both stood silent and still. He patted Daichi’s shoulder gently and walked away.  
Kenma’s sudden movement was enough to break the spell captivating both, and Kuroo blinked a few times as he gained his awareness. His hand rose up and wafted through the messy spray of hair that attractively fell down above his eye. Daichi was secretly pleased it was the same, albeit a lot cleaner and free of sticks and leaves than in their youth. He began to commit every aspect of Kuroo’s handsome face to memory as his familiar grin began to spread.  
“I shouldn’t even be surprised,” Kuroo began, finally putting one long leg in front of the other as he moved closer, “Here I have been wracking my brain trying to figure out a way for us to meet without getting nabbed by the Prince or his goons, and as usual you take care of it all on your own.” He stopped less than arms length away from him, obviously enjoying the height difference between them as he smiled down at him. Daichi was overwhelmed by his presence, even more handsome up close. He could even feel the heat rising off Kuroo’s sweat pricked skin.  
“You were taking too long,” he retorted with a smirk of his own, tilting his chin up toward the taller man. Kuroo laughed. It was loud and obnoxious, and it lifted Daichi’s spirits so high it could have floated over the looming mountains.  
“So,” Kuroo said as he rubbed his rough hands together nervously, “How’ve you been?”  
Daichi huffed out a laugh at the simplicity of the question. He knew there were probably millions of questions they both had for each other. “Wow, I’m not even sure where to begin.”  
“How about when you left?” Kuroo said softly, a touch of sadness betraying his voice.  
Daichi’s smile faded, a familiar ache gripping his heart at the question. “I was forced to go, it wasn’t my choice. You know that.” Kuroo nodded in admittance, and Daichi sighed. “I was sent to Karasuno for my education and training. Despite being sent away to an unfamiliar place all alone, it ended up not being bad. With the other students there I made a lot of great friends, and I had good teachers. It was actually very enjoyable...but still, I missed you,” he finished a little shyly.  
Kuroo graced him with a warm smile, an attractive blush spreading across his cheeks. “Yeah, I missed you too.” They stood quiet for a moment as they basked in each other’s presence until another look flickered across Kuroo’s face. He looked almost embarrassed as he cleared his throat. “So...has there been anyone else?”  
Daichi cocked his head, a little confused. “Anyone else? What do you mean?”  
Kuroo groaned and hid his face in his palms. “Has there been anyone else...you know, that you loved...or love.” His voice was strained, and just visible behind his hands Daichi could see his face scrunched, bracing himself for his answer.  
He stepped forward immediately and reached his hands up to Kuroo’s, sliding them from his face and grasping them in his own.  
“No,” he assured him in a gentle voice, “There’s never been anyone else. Just you.” Daichi smiled as Kuroo bent forward and dropped his head onto his shoulder, letting out a breath he had been holding. Daichi desperately wanted to run his fingers through the silky hair going everywhere when Kuroo spoke again.  
“So...not even that one guy?”  
“What guy?”  
“The one you’re always with. Grey hair, charming smile, little mole below his eye? I saw you with him the other day and you looked...close.”  
Daichi burst out laughing, causing Kuroo’s head to pop up and look him in the eye. “Oh, Suga! No, no, no, no, no, there’s no way! He’s my friend, best friend really, but nothing more than that. He’s like my Kenma, except I haven’t known him forever. We met when I arrived at Karasuno.”  
“Good,” Kuroo said, a relieved smile spreading back over his face.  
“Well, what about you?” Daichi asked, nervousness prickling through his body as he waited for Kuroo’s answer.  
“Ha! No way, the guys would laugh their asses off if they heard you ask that. They’ve done nothing but put up with my pining for years.”  
The clenched feeling in his chest melted away as Daichi’s own smile returned to his face. “Good.”  
An awkward moment passed between them, both having so much to talk about and no singular thought volunteering itself for conversation. Finally Kuroo straightened up fully looked around him, giving Daichi a good view of his lengthy torso.  
“So, wanna go for a swim?”  
Daichi flinched at the prospect of how chilly it would be since summer had ended over a month ago. “What, now?”  
Kuroo snorted, “Would you like an engraved invitation? Or do I need to ask permission of your _loving_ uncle Prince Satori?”  
“Ha ha, no thank you. Yeah...I’ll swim, I’m just not very good at it. I tend to sink like a rock.”  
Suddenly Kuroo stepped even closer, his face just hovering above his. His hand stroked down Daichi’s cheek and under his jaw, tipping his face up.  
“Don’t worry, Love, I won’t let you drown.” With an ornery wink Kuroo took off toward the pond laughing, hopping every couple of steps as he yanked his boots off. His pants followed close behind as he nearly tripped over his own feet. Daichi laughed at the spectacle and ran off after him, attempting remove his own clothes in the process. By the time he had reached the edge of the blue pool Kuroo had already jumped in. As Daichi worked the last of his buttons loose, Kuroo’s head popped up above the surface with a spray, his typically wild hair slicked back.  
“Maybe I should have stayed behind to help you undress,” he said, his grin just visible above the rippling water.  
Daichi blushed but locked eyes with Kuroo as he let his shirt slip off slowly, revealing his own sculpted torso, rays of sunlight bathing him in warmth.  
“If you had, we might not have made it in the pond at all.” Daichi took great delight in how Kuroo’s eyes widened at the retort, and the sight of Daichi’s body being teasingly revealed.  
“Shit, Daichi, I’m really glad this water’s pretty cold.”  
“Oh?” Daichi asked as he shoved his boots off and began working on his pants. “Are you enjoying the show?”  
Kuroo covered his face with his hands and sunk down into the pond, a flow of bubbles popping up from where his head had disappeared. Daichi, finally relinquished of his pants, gave a bit of a run and leapt off the edge. He plunged into the chilly water and sent waves flowing from the point of contact and crashing onto the mixture of grass and mud at the edges. Thankfully for Daichi the pond wasn’t that deep, so he didn’t worry too much about drowning as he pushed through the water toward Kuroo, who had reemerged from the surface and skillfully swam away from his oncoming predator with playful laughs echoing throughout the valley. They both felt like they were twelve again as they splashed each other and attempted to escape from a discourteous dunking. Something had changed though from their youth, a stirring inside fueled by an intense desire for each other. Even in the cool water the emotion was intoxicating.  
After their rambunctious activity, Daichi began to grow tired. The pond was not one that gradually became more shallow as it neared the shore, but had more of a steep drop off. He moved his exhausted arms through the water as he arrived at the edge near their pile of clothes. He crossed his arms on the damp grass and dropped his head rest on them so he could catch his breath. The water stirred around him as Kuroo’s body swam closer. He sucked in a quick breath as he felt two hands graze down his arms and settle on either side of him, Kuroo’s chest pressed in against his back.  
“Are you alright?” Kuroo murmured in his ear, sending shivers across his skin that left goosebumps in their wake. Daichi clenched his eyes shut as he felt the lips graze his ear and gently press against his neck.  
He let out a soft groan and whispered a strained, “ _Tetsu_.” He heard Kuroo gasp slightly at the nickname only spoken by Daichi, and the slender hands gripped onto Daichi’s shoulders and spun him around. Any water between them was forced away as Kuroo embraced him tightly, his lips quickly finding Daichi’s as he pinned him against the side of the pond. Daichi took advantage of his extra buoyancy and lifted his body up higher, his arms encircling Kuroo’s neck and settling on his strong shoulders. They inhaled deeply as their lips danced gently across each other’s, slightly trembling from both the thrill of the moment and the temperature of the water enveloping them. Kuroo’s arms wrapped around the small of his back and pulled him tighter, his mouth opening slightly to allow for a more heated kiss. Daichi was happy to oblige as a hum of delight vibrated through his lips. His legs slid around Kuroo’s waist and clutched tightly to alleviate the stress on his shoulders, but the action brought their more sensitive areas into alignment. As they rubbed their skin together, Kuroo inhaled sharply and broke free from the kiss. His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath, and Daichi felt a wave of heat careen over him from the intensity of Kuroo’s eyes. Suddenly a hand left his waist and cupped his face tenderly.  
“You’re trembling,” Kuroo said softly, his eyebrows knitting together in concern. “You’re probably too cold.”  
Daichi smiled and bit his lip. “I am cold, but I also think I’m excited.”  
The stress on Kuroo’s forehead eased and he smiled back down at him. “Yeah, I know the feeling. Let’s get out and warm up.”  
One of Daichi’s eyebrows cocked up, “Oh? And how are we gonna do that?”  
Kuroo’s face flushed a bright red and he pursed his lips. “Oh, um...I was thinking we could dry off and lay in the sunshine, but...I mean I didn’t know if we were planning on going at this like bunnies? Or would you like to take our time? It has been a long time since we’ve seen each other, and I might need to prepare myself a bit mentally, I’ve never, you know, wait, you haven’t have you?” He stopped his nervous string of chatter with a pout when Daichi began to laugh.  
“That’s fine, I feel the same, Tetsu,” he said, causing Kuroo’s pout to ease. “I already told you there’s been no one else, and to tell you the truth I wouldn’t mind our first time being on an actual bed.”  
Kuroo winced slightly as he backed off slightly to give Daichi space to move. “A bed...that might be difficult, I can’t tell you how long it’s been since I’ve slept on one of those.” He reached for the edge of the pond and heaved himself up, water trickling off him as he lunged upward. Despite the cool water Daichi nearly got hard as he watched without shame. He bit his lip, his eyes flickering over the lean body as Kuroo lifted himself agilely onto the grass. Daichi turned his face away quickly once he had a quick peek of what he thought was a perfect ass. With a grunt he lifted himself out of the water, the action not as easy for him as it was for Kuroo with his heavier muscles and lack of flexibility. As soon as he was standing at the edge he looked back up to Kuroo who turned his own face away quickly with a smirk and jogged over to their awaiting dry clothes. After they shook most of the remaining droplets from their body and hair, they quickly redressed except for their boots, and lounged in the warm grass as they let the sun pour over them. They said nothing for a while, resting their bodies from the swim and their impromptu make out session. Eventually it was Kuroo who broke the silence.  
“So...what now?”  
Daichi turned his head to look at him. Kuroo’s face was staring listlessly up at the blue sky, his arms crossed behind his head. “I don’t know,” he finally answered, “We need to figure out a way to see each other without putting you and your friends in danger.”  
“Or _you_ in danger,” Kuroo added, meeting his eyes with a frown. “You may be his nephew, but don’t think he can’t hurt you, Daichi. He’s capable of anything, you know that.”  
“I know...only too well. Oh, by the way, why did you break into the Mausoleum?”  
Kuroo’s smile returned to his face. “So you don't know? I’m not surprised, it’s where Daishou and his ‘competent’ guards were hiding all the extra taxes they’ve been stealing from the people outside the city. It’s being distributed to the rightful owners as we speak by gold old Priest Nekomata.”  
Daichi sat straight up in surprise. “That’s where they’ve been keeping it! Sir Semi had no idea about any of it.”  
“Hmm, I guess that answers that question. We always thought the Royal Guard were as privy to that information as the Nohebians, but it’s interesting that the Prince did not trust them with this. He probably knew they would be against taxing the people so heavily.”  
Daichi nodded, “They may be loyal to the Prince, but he knows that loyalty will always be trumped by the King, even if he’s far away. At least that’s what I hope.”  
Kuroo scrunched up his face. “As much as I hate to admit it, I think you’re right. Even if they’re trying to kill us, at least they’re honest.”  
Daichi frowned as his eyes glossed over Kuroo’s torso where underneath his tunic was his gruesome wound still not fully healed. He had seen it earlier when Kuroo first approached him, but he was so overwhelmed at seeing him finally he did not take time to inspect it. He reached his hand out and gently pressed to where it was hidden.  
“I heard from Semi himself that he had wounded you, I was terrified when he told me.” He glanced up to meet Kuroo’s eyes. “Tetsu...I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you.”  
Kuroo lifted his body up and turned so their chests were parallel and leaned his face in close. He reached his hand out and slid his fingers into Daichi’s still damp hair. “Don’t worry, nothing will happen to me. But you know I can’t just sit by while he tears this Kingdom apart with his greed.”  
Daichi nodded solemnly, “I know, I feel the same. I’ve been here for days and I cannot figure out a way to help without getting me or my friends thrown into jail or killed.”  
“You’re already helping, Daichi.”  
“How?”  
Kuroo smiled warmly and gave him a soft kiss. “By being here and being you. The people love you, have always loved you. They see the strength and character of the King in you and trust you implicitly. Even the Royal Guard have so much respect for you I doubt they would follow the order to arrest you without question. Even Bokuto told me how Semi seems to trust you.”  
Daichi stiffened in surprise. “Bokuto? You know him?”  
Kuroo snorted, “Yeah, that dude is like my best friend. Well, besides Kenma. He’s one of the only people in town I can completely trust. Anyways, just keep gaining their trust, and maybe when the time comes their loyalty will pass to you.”  
Daichi sighed heavily, “That would be helpful, but I seriously doubt they would ever side against the Prince. They were so close in their youth they can hardly see his faults. But I’ll do my best, I can’t lose hope now. Even if they don’t side with me perhaps they’ll care enough to not murder me at his command like you said. Now, back to how you and I can communicate freely…”  
Kuroo’s face twisted as he thought about the problem, but his eyebrows quickly shot up as an idea obviously popped into his head. “I got it! Bokuto of course!”  
“We can meet in his tavern?”  
“Oh no, Akaashi’s nearly banned me from setting foot in there. He doesn’t want me pulling Bokuto into my problems, but he lets Kenma slink around in there. He’s by far the sneakiest one among us, and doesn’t cause any issues, they hardly know he’s there. But if you go in there and slip Bokuto a message, he can give it to Kenma and he can give it to me! But just in case, let’s not use our own names. If Semi or any of the other guards get ahold of it we want it cryptic enough that they can’t pin anything on you.”  
They quickly sorted out some plans as they munched on the food Suga had packed for him since there was plenty for both of them. Daichi knew he would have to leave soon before the guards started combing the forest for him. When they finished, they reluctantly shoved their boots on and gathered their things. Kuroo was able to sling his bow and quiver on himself as they slid through the tunnel and emerged into the quiet forest and back into reality.  
Kuroo frowned down at him as he stretched. “What were you going to tell them about where you were and what you were doing? Did you have a plan?”  
Daichi shrugged, “Well, as for what I was doing I was gonna tell them that I wanted to go for a ride because I missed the forest, which legitimately is the truth. I hate being cooped up in that castle, always have. I figured I’d tell them I was thrown from my horse since Goshiki most likely has captured my runaway horse by now.”  
Kuroo grinned and looked him up and down. “You don’t look like you were thrown from your horse.”  
Daichi looked down at his clothes and frowned, “Well what do you think I should—“  
He was cut off when Kuroo tackled him off his feet and plunged into the dirt. He was still shocked as his lover’s bellowing laugh bounced off the trees. His shock faded when he felt some leaves being ground up into his hair and shoved down his tunic. He swung his leg around Kuroo’s waist and flipped him onto his back, straddling his waist and pinned down his hands. “You asshole!” He yelled as he laughed as well. Kuroo gave a gasp, “I-I thought you loved me!” He cried in mock horror.  
Daichi gave him a cheeky smile and leaned down over his face. “I do,” he murmured and pressed his lips gently against Kuroo’s. Every part of Kuroo seemed to light up at the admission and he reached his face up to meet Daichi’s lips in a deeper kiss. Daichi released his hands so he could embed his own in the Kuroo’s dry and unruly hair. He wasn’t expecting Kuroo to take the opportunity to flip him back over to take control of the kiss. He pressed his body down with his own as he deepened the kiss, his tongue slipping into Daichi’s mouth sending shocks of pleasure throughout his body. Daichi moaned as he gripped the back of Kuroo’s head, his other hand scratching across the broad back above him.  
“Ahem….sorry to interrupt,” said a voice above them . They flinched and looked up and saw Yaku lounging in a branch several feet above them, a smirk curling on his face. “Sooooooo, there’s already a search party of Royal guards creeping around the edge of the forest looking for you, Master Daichi, so you might wanna get going. You’ll wanna give it some time for your body to cool down anyways, your cheeks are pretty red.” Yaku hid his hand behind his mouth as he began to snicker. Kuroo rolled his eyes and jumped to his feet, his hand stretching down to offer Daichi assistance. Daichi accepted it and lurched onto his feet.  
“Alright, I’ll get going,” Daichi answered reluctantly. “Do I look like I was thrown from a horse?”  
“It looks like you were thrown and also trampled on, then ravished in the heat of the moment,” Yaku snorted as he lost himself in his laughter again.  
“Knock it off, Yaku, like you’re one to talk!” Kuroo chided as he shot him a glare. That was enough to stop the laughter as Yaku stiffened.  
“What do you mean by that?!”  
“Oooooh, yeah, what do you mean by that?” Daichi asked with a curious grin.  
Kuroo smiled back down at him, “I’ll tell you next time, it’s pretty amazing. But for now, you have to get going.” His smile faded as he was reminded of their imminent parting. Daichi reached up to cup his cheek and pulled him down softly, giving him one last gentle kiss.  
“I’ll see you soon.”  
Kuroo pressed his forehead against Daichi’s and sighed. “Soon. Hey…I love you too.”  
Heat spread through Daichi’s face, and after one more kiss he stepped away. He offered Yaku one more wave as he picked his way through the brush and roots to find the path back home.  
“Hey, it’s gonna be okay, Kuroo,” Yaku said softly from his on top of his branch.  
It didn’t feel like it was going to be okay. As he watched Daichi disappear among the trees, he felt his chest seize as if under an enormous pressure. It was suddenly hard to breathe as sucked in the musky air of the forest. Daichi had appeared out of thin air that morning after five years of being separated, and now he was leaving again. He knew he had to, but it did not make it hurt any less.  
“We need to cover his tracks and remake them leading to another part of the forest,” Kuroo said, trying to keep his voice even. “Just in case they try to find out where he’s been if they don’t believe him.”  
Yaku nodded and hopped out of the tree. Without another word he ran back to the group to grab a couple guys to help him redo Daichi’s tracks. Kuroo watched him go and followed slowly behind, not looking forward to the tornado of probing questions he would receive once he arrived.

Daichi had made his way back to his intended path easily. His entire body was reluctant to leave Kuroo’s side again, but he knew it was for the best. Regardless his spirit was rejuvenated after spending the entire day in the forest of his childhood and with the person he loved most in the world. He tried to keep himself from grinning as he moved closer to the entrance of the forest where he was sure to run into the guards.  
“CAW!”  
Daichi nearly tripped when he heard the obnoxious noise pierce the air beside him. He turned and saw a beautiful black crow watching him with its head cocked. Its black eyes glinted in the sunlight as it squawked again.  
“CAW CAW!”  
“CAW!” Daichi turned to see another crow on the other side of the path and was startled when a few more landed on various branches.  
Daichi narrowed his eyes cautiously at them as they continued to yell at him. A crow was a bird that he was fond of, but by being surrounded by a murder of them he was unsure if it was a good omen.  
“Why do I have a bad feeling about this?” Daichi muttered as he continued on his way, the piercing squawks from the crows echoing after him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Shiro means white in Japanese, Kuro means black
> 
> This was one of my favorite chapters to write for this story so far, I’m sorry it took so long to get to this point! This story hasn’t really gotten as much attention as some of my other ones, even though I spend so much time and energy on it. If any of you love it please tell me in a comment, otherwise I may drop it due to lack of enthusiasm :(


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A big arrival changes things in Shiratorizawa City and for Daichi...

Daichi nearly made it to edge of the forest when he heard voices arguing beyond a bend in the path ahead from him.  
“Just let me go back! I know I can pick up his tracks, and then—“  
“Relax Goshiki, you weren’t able to pick them up all day, you won’t be able to now.”  
Goshiki’s voice was stressed, mixed with determination and a bit of shame. Daichi felt a little bad about tricking him, but he knew it was necessary. The other voice belonged to a senior member of the guard, Yamagata Hayato. He was very skilled in his abilities, but more often was seen encouraging his juniors with kind but firm words. Daichi decided to jog a little bit so it at least looked like he was anxious to be “rescued” from the forest. Sure enough, as soon as he came around the corner he could see Goshiki, his face red and angry, imploring an exhausted looking Yamagata to let him try again.  
“Sir Yamagata! Sir Goshiki!” Daichi called and they both flinched in surprised. Goshiki looked like he was overwhelmed with a mixture of emotions, glad to see he was alright but upset he was never able to redeem himself. Yamagata simply looked relieved.  
“Master Daichi! What happened to you, you’ve been gone all day!” Yamagata cried as they hurried over to him. His eyes trailed all over Daichi, taking in the mess of clothes and dirt.  
Daichi scratched his head as he pasted on a look of embarrassment. “Ah, I was just enjoying my ride when I got thrown from my horse. I’m rather ashamed since I pride myself on being a good rider.”  
“Are you hurt?” Yamagata asked with concern.  
“No, no, luckily the fall wasn’t a hard one. It just stunned me for a while. Have you found my horse by any chance?”  
Yamagata nodded, “Goshiki found him near the edge of the forest. It looks like he abandoned you and was on his way home.”  
Daichi chuckled, “Yeah that sounds like him.” He turned to Goshiki and gave him a warm smile. “Thank you Sir Goshiki for finding him. It was fortunate you just happened upon him.”  
Goshiki opened his mouth to protest, but Yamagata laid a hand on his shoulder and shot him a warning look. Instead he pursed his lips and murmured, “Of course, I was doing my duty after all.”  
Yamagata slipped a tiny signal horn from his coat and gave it a couple of toots, the sound echoing off the trees. “Hopefully the others aren’t too far out, but at least you’re safe now. Do you need any assistance, Master Daichi?”  
Daichi assured him he was fine, so they all turned and made their way out of the forest. As they arrived at the castle he thanked them again and informed them he was in desperate need of a bath. He sighed as he finally made it to his door and heaved it open, exhausted from the day. Unfortunately he received a sharp jab in the stomach upon entering what should have been his sanctuary.  
“Oomph! What the hell, Suga?!”  
Suga was glaring daggers at him while Asahi winced behind him. “I should be asking you that! I know what you were up to but why did Nightwing come back without you?!”  
Daichi shrugged, “I knew he’d find his way back, I wasn’t worried.” Suga clapped his hand over his face.  
Asahi scratched his beard. “I told you, Suga, most of our horses are trained that way. It was a good excuse so he could be gone all day.”  
“Thank you, Asahi. I’m glad someone wasn’t worried about me.”  
“Oh, I was worried! Just cuz I knew what you were doing didn’t mean I wasn’t nervous.”  
Daichi groaned and began to strip off his filthy clothes. Suga scrunched up his nose.  
“So were you thrown from your horse?”  
“Nope.”  
“Then why are you so filthy?”  
Daichi smiled and blushed, “I was tackled by a cat.”  
Suga frowned. “A cat? How would a-OH! Kur-“  
“SHHHHHHHHH,” Daichi hissed as he slapped a hand over his mouth. “You’re such a blabbermouth.”  
He felt vibrations through the hand as Suga literally growled, and he hastily removed the hand before he lost his fingers. Now that his mouth was free, a smirk snuck up on Suga’s face.  
“Soooooooo….I take it you had a good meeting with your _lover_?”  
Daichi felt his face flush even more and pursed his lips. “Yeah, I really did. It went well.”  
“You finally lost your virginity?”  
Behind Suga, Asahi shut his eyes and covered his ears. Daichi simply rolled his eyes.  
“We didn’t have _that_ much time.”  
Suga looked amused. “Really? I think at this point you could pop in no time!”  
Daichi groaned, “Seriously? Can you please draw me a bath so I can get clean. I’m exhausted.”  
“Fine, but only if you tell me all the details. Knowing you didn’t get laid, no detail should be too dirty to tell.”  
“What is with you lately? I swear your mouth has gotten filthier lately.”  
Suga whined a little as he heated some water for his bath. “I know, I know. I’m so frustrated. It’s been awhile since I’ve had a lover and now I have to live vicariously through you two. Well, you at least. Sorry Asahi.”  
Asahi sighed and sat down on Daichi’s bed. “It’s okay. I hope I’ll get to see him soon. I miss him.”  
“For what it’s worth, I know how you feel, Buddy,” Daichi assured him as he shrugged out of more dirty clothes.  
“Ok, so we got off track. Daichi, tell us how it went.”  
So Daichi regaled the tale of how he outsmarted Goshiki, snuck through the forest while covering his tracks, meeting up with the “cat pack” and finally Kenma showing him their secret hideout. He smiled as he reminisced about first seeing Kuroo, standing there by the pond and practicing archery. He told them of their playful time in the pond and tiptoed around their more heated moments. The smirk pasted on Suga’s face told him he wasn’t fooling him at least.  
“So, do you at least have a plan for seeing him again?” Suga asked when he had finished his story.  
“Hmm, seeing him, no. But we have figured out a way to communicate at least. We’re going to pass notes through Bokuto.”  
Asahi’s eyebrows raised. “Bokuto? So they know each other?”  
“Yup, best friends apparently.”  
Suga nodded, “That’s good, then that’s also someone we can trust I hope.”  
Daichi sighed, laying his head back against the tub. He watched the steam curl up in the air like ripples of silk, only to disappear without a trace. “Yeah, it’s nice to have at least someone else we can trust. I hate being so careful all the time.”  
“Well don’t stop being careful. I imagine you getting lost in the same forest that happens to be occupied by Kuroo and his gang didn’t get unnoticed by the Prince.”  
Daichi flinched at the mention of his Uncle. “Yeah, I’m sure it didn’t.”

Sure enough the next day Daichi was summoned to a suite used only by the Prince. It was like a study, but much larger and more comfortable with plush armchairs and elaborate paintings adorning the walls. As Daichi entered the room, he saw his Uncle standing in front of the balcony that was framed with ceiling high drapes dyed a rich maroon color. With the sunlight pouring in it silhouetted the Prince, his shape resembling a grim reaper awaiting his prey with his dark robes flowing out from him.  
“Your Majesty, you wished to see me?”  
The Prince turned his head slightly, his hair spiking up like licks of flame. “Yes, Daichi-kun, come join me. I’m simply enjoying the morning air. I am fortunate that this room overlooks the gardens. It makes the air smell delightful.”  
Daichi walked over and stood next to him. The balcony did have a good view of the gardens, though many of the flowers had lost their bloom by this time of year. “Yes, Your Majesty,” he replied politely, “It is a lovely view.”  
“Hmmm, so Daichi-kun, I hope you are well rested from your calamity yesterday.”  
“Yes, I am, though a little sore. I have quite a few bruises from it but basically I’m unharmed.”  
The Prince turned his heavy lidded eyes toward him, flicking up and down as he inspected him. “Interesting. You know I remember you being quite a good rider when you were younger. My brother praised you endlessly about it,” he said, a grit in his voice that Daichi couldn’t miss when mentioning the King. “I’m sure Sir Ukai neglected that part of your training. How on earth could that have happened?”  
“No, in fact Sir Ukai was zealous in every aspect of our training, horsemanship included. I certainly don’t look forward to him hearing of my fall. Truthfullly even the best horseman can be thrown if they get cocky. I was enjoying myself immensely and was going too fast.”  
“And it took you all day to get back?”  
Daichi was beginning to sweat under his clothes. The tension being built from his interrogation was beginning to wear on him. “It was my first time back in the forest for years. Things look a lot different than they did back then, I got a bit turned around.”  
The Prince smirked. “Hopefully my brother never hears of it. That would be embarrassing for you, knowing how much time the two of you spent together wandering around in there like gypsies.”  
Daichi huffed out a nervous laugh, “Yes, Your Majesty, I would be embarrassed if he heard it, but I would never ask you to keep secrets from him. I guess I will deal with it when he returns.”  
The Prince’s eyes narrowed at him slightly but did not answer. They turned at the sound of a knock and the doors of the chamber swung open and Ohira came in with a bow.  
“Forgive me, your Majesty, but there has been some trouble at the city gate.”  
The Prince scowled, “Trouble? What kind of trouble can there be that you can’t handle and would concern me?”  
Ohira looked uneasy as he looked back and forth between the Prince and Daichi. “Well, a troop of Knights arrived in a cart and with several horses. They’re from Karasuno.”  
Daichi felt the blood drain from his face as the Prince stiffened from the news.  
“Sir Ohira, are you certain they’re from Karasuno? I was not expecting any of them to arrive myself,” Daichi confessed, hoping his Uncle would not see this as an invasion.  
“They are, My Lord, and they were asking for you personally. They’re very headstrong, we have hardly been able to keep them from barging in without our consent.”  
Daichi groaned and turned cautiously to the Prince who seemed to be deep in thought. At last he looked to Daichi and gave a big smile that he didn’t trust one bit. “Well, let’s see what they want, shall we?”  
“Your Majesty, you’re going to go to the gate yourself?” An alarmed Ohira questioned.  
The Prince rolled his eyes, “No, Sir Ohira. You and the guards will escort them here. If any of them try to get away you have permission to injure them and throw them in prison for acting disorderly.”  
Daichi’s stomach clenched. Knowing his friends they were definitely going to act disorderly, and he prayed they would for once keep a lid on their mouths. Before Ohira left, Daichi called after him.  
“Sir Ohira, tell them if they act out I’ll skin them alive myself.”  
Ohira gave him a smirk and a bow as he was dismissed. Daichi turned back to the Prince and gave a bow himself.  
“I have no idea why they were sent here, Your Majesty, but I will make sure they do not upset the order you have secured here.”  
The Prince sighed and waved his hand dismissively. “No sense in worrying about it yet, Daichi-kun. Let’s go see what they have to say.”  
Together they made their way to the castle entrance. They weren’t waiting long when a group of soldiers approached. Semi and Ohira lead the way while being trailed by a cart with Ennoshita at the reins with Tanaka and Nishinoya on either side of him. In the back of the cart were their four newest members: Kageyama, Hinata, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi. Behind the cart rode Narita and Kinoshita on horses of their own. Each one of them was clad in their shining armor with the silhouette of a crow emblazoned on the front. The whole group of them were uncharacteristically quiet, and Daichi almost wanted to laugh at the way Tanaka’s face was twisted, trying to be quiet and amiable. Nishinoya was sitting as high as he could, his face swiveling like an owl as he searched hopefully around for a certain someone. All of them perked up as they sighted Daichi, but Ennoshita tensed a little as he spotted who was next to him. Daichi could see him murmur a few last warnings to the group as they approached him and the Prince. As the cart and horses pulled up to them, they all gave a bow.  
“Your Majesty, thank you for allowing us entrance,” Ennoshita postured, his tone both reverent and apologetic.  
Prince Satori’s eyebrows shot up as he regarded the humble greeting. “Well, well. I have only heard wild tales of how rambunctious the Knights of Karasuno could be. Indeed you practically sounded like _monsters_ ,” he sneered, and Daichi winced as he could hear a growl issuing from both Tanaka and Nishinoya. The Prince continued, “It is a relief to see at least _one_ knight has some manners. But I am curious to what brings you to the city _unsummoned_.”  
“Forgive us, Your Majesty. We are under orders from Sir Ukai to offer any assistance to you or Master Daichi as needed. He was hoping we could be of use to you and at the same time check to see how he is. We are pleased to see he is looking well. If you do not wish us to stay we ask that you allow us at least one nights rest and we will return in the morning.” Ennoshita’s looks and demeanor were never the most eloquent and striking, but his humility and easygoing nature could put anyone at ease. The Prince seemed at least temporarily satisfied as he waved his hand.  
“Very well, I do not have any duties for you at the moment but I will allow you to stay for at least a few days. _Provided_ that you cause no trouble. If any of you do, the Royal Guard will take action, is that clear?” The Prince’s voice was an odd mixture of attempted pleasantness and unveiled threat, and Daichi could see it unnerved the whole group of his friends, as well as himself.  
Ennoshita bowed once again. “Yes Your Majesty, that is clear. We thank you for your kindness.”  
The Prince gave a dramatic sigh and turned abruptly, his robes flowing out around him and smacking Daichi slightly. “Sir Semi! Make some room for the soldiers in the barracks if you can, and make sure they do not wander unattended.” And before the knight could answer the Prince swept back into the castle.  
As soon as he was gone Daichi gave them all a big smile. “It’s good to see you all. _Thank you_ for behaving.” They all returned his smile and perked back up now that the Prince was no longer present. Hinata hopped up and down in excitement, causing the cart to rock back and forth.  
“DAICHI-SAAAAN!” He cried until Kageyama sprung up and grabbed the neck of his breastplate.  
“Hinata, you dumbass! You’re gonna break the cart!”  
“But I’m just so excited! It’s Daichi-san! It’s been so long since we’ve seen him!”  
“It’s been a couple weeks, you idiot!”  
“Can we please leave them in the stables where they belong?” Tsukishima asked, his voice deadpan as usual.  
Nishinoya took the chance and leapt off the cart and ran up to Daichi before any of the Royal Guard could flinch. “Daichi-san! Where’s Asahi-san? Is he okay? Did he miss me? Is he eating enough?”  
Daichi grasped the vibrating man’s shoulders and shushed him quiet. “Easy, easy. Asahi is fine, he’s inside with Suga, they don’t even know you’re here yet. Let’s get you guys settled and we’ll go find them.” He ignored the disappointment on Nishinoya’s face at having to wait and turned to face Semi. “I’ll come with you to the barracks to help get them settled, if that’s alright with you.”  
Semi nodded, eying the group of rambunctious knights warily. “Yes, I think that would be preferable. Let’s go.” After stopping at the stables to get the horses settled and unload what little luggage they brought, they were shown into the barracks that they would share with the Royal Guard.  
As he watched with amusement while his friends fought over bunks, Daichi turned once again to Semi. “Do the Nohebi guards not stay here as well?”  
The sandy haired Knight shook his head, “No, Daishou has an entire wing just for his knights.”  
“ _Lord_ Daishou, Sir Semi,” Shirabu corrected beside him who was scowling the rowdiness in front of him.  
Semi flinched and hissed out a breath through his clenched teeth. “ _Thank you_ , Sir Shirabu. What would ever I do without my precious kouhai,” he seethed.  
Shirabu shrugged, “You’re welcome.”  
“I was wondering,” Daichi asked cautiously, seeing that Semi’s mood was darkening quickly, “I know the Prince said all of them were to stay here, but would it be alright if at least Nishinoya could stay with Asahi?”  
Semi looked sideways at him, “Why would he need to stay with him?”  
Daichi scratched the back of his head as he searched for the appropriate words. “Um, it’s not so much a need, but those two are really close. If it bothers you we could send Suga to stay in the barracks in his place.”  
“Hm, I doubt there will be a need for that. It’s fine with me as long as it’s only him. And remember he cannot wander about the castle without one of us present. Is that okay?”  
“Yes, that’s fine. I really appreciate it.” He called Nishinoya over to him and told him he could stay with Asahi. He smiled warmly as Nishinoya leapt into the air with joy. Daichi requested the rest of them stay there while he settled Nishinoya in and fetched Suga to see them. Semi escorted the two of them back into the castle and straight to Asahi’s quarters.  
When they arrived Daichi knocked and asked if they could come in. He heard Asahi call out in a strained voice that it was fine to enter. Nishinoya burst through the door to find Asahi shirtless on the floor in the middle of a sit up. His hair was loose and damp with sweat, a sheen falling across his flexed abdominals as his eyes widened in surprise at the entrance of his boyfriend.  
“No-Noya?!”  
Nishinoya didn’t move. He was frozen with his cheeks blossoming pink as he stared back at him. Daichi snorted and clapped the small man on the back.  
“Go get him, Tiger.”  
It was enough to startle him out of his overheated shock, and with a squeal of glee Nishinoya rushed into the room and tackled his boyfriend in a flurry of messy kisses.  
“Oooooh,” said Semi next to him, looking a bit flustered at the sudden outburst of affection.  
“Yeah, they’ll be fine. I doubt they’ll wanna leave for a while,” Daichi chuckled and shut the door on the amorous couple. They continued walking down the hall toward Suga’s room.  
“Hmm, must be nice,” Semi murmured beside him, and Daichi turned to see the knight almost looking a little downhearted.  
“Sir Semi? Are you okay?”  
The Knight cleared his throat and lifted his face up in mock confidence. “Of course, don’t mind me. I was just saying it’s nice that they can be together and both be so honest with their feelings.”  
Daichi nodded, “Yes, if anything they’re a bit too honest in front of the rest of us.” They chuckled, and Daichi glanced back at the knight. “You looked as though you were speaking from experience.” Semi flinched slightly, looking a bit surprised and uneasy at the comment, so Daichi waved his hand back and forth and continued. “No, don’t worry about it. You don’t have to talk about something as personal as that if you don’t feel comfortable. But if you do, I’m always here, you know.” Daichi gave him an understanding smile, “If you do it’ll just be between us.”  
After a moment Semi’s face eased into a smile of his own. “Thank you. There really is nothing though, but it’s good to know that you’re willing to listen should I ever need it. You really remind me of him sometimes.”  
Daichi raised an eyebrow in question. “Who?”  
“His Majesty King Wakatoshi. Not your personality so much, the King can be a bit, uh, blunt with his honesty,” he chuckled. “But your leadership qualities and your reliability. It’s been a relief, we all miss him terribly.”  
Daichi nodded, “I miss him too. I hope he can come home soon.” In their conversation they had been loitering outside of Suga’s door, and with a mutual nod between them Daichi finally knocked.  
To say Suga was excited to see their friends was an understatement. Daichi and Semi could hardly keep up as he ran down to the barracks with a large grin on his face. At the very least their surprise and excitement at seeing their friends proved to the Royal Guard that their arrival was unexpected, which may be what Sir Ukai intended all along, Daichi figured. He was anxious to take Ennoshita aside and hopefully have a private conversation with him. As soon as they entered the barracks and Suga was greeted with an uproar of cheers and hugs, he slid over to the quiet man with sleepy eyes who was sitting on his bunk away from the crowd.  
Daichi sat down on the bunk next to him as they watched with amusement as Suga karate chopped Tsukishima’s head and scratched through Tanaka’s closely buzzed hair.  
“What’s going on?” Daichi asked in a low quiet voice, hardly moving his lips and keeping his eyes on the flurry of activity.  
“Things are getting bad out there, Daichi-san. Some people have even moved away from their villages to try and escape the Nohebi soldiers. They’ve taken to beating people and arresting them if they cannot pay their taxes. Ukai says something needs to change, so he sent us here to you to help if we can.”  
Daichi winced at the news. “I cannot believe he’s stooped this low. My Uncle was never my favorite person, but I never thought he could be this heartless.”  
“I can, he gives me the creeps,” Ennoshita admitted with a shiver. “Sir Ukai and Lord Takeda have some plans, but do you have any ideas?”  
Daichi frowned. “Not yet, but with you here maybe we can come up with something. You can tell me about their plans later when hopefully less guards are around. Just make sure these guys don’t step on any toes. We don’t need any of them thrown into jail or worse, and don’t think the Prince wouldn’t do it.”  
Ennoshita nodded. “Understood. I’ll do my best. Maybe if the Royal Guard gives us some duties, it may be easier keeping them in line with something to occupy them with.”  
“Good idea. I’ll discuss it with Sir Semi. The boys all know not to discuss things openly, correct?”  
Ennoshita nodded, eyeing the few guards spread throughout the room, keeping an eye on them. “Yes, they were warned, but I’ll continue to be watchful over them.”  
Despite the extra tension the addition of the Karasuno Knights added to the atmosphere of the castle, Daichi was overjoyed to see them again. It was a slight relief to be surrounded by men he could actually trust implicitly, even if they could be rather chaotic.  
Semi was happy to divvy them up to certain guards and assist with their duties. He immediately put them to work throughout the castle, and having them separated rather than in one big group drastically decreased the volume and intensity of the Karasuno Knights. After a long physical day of work after their long morning of traveling from Karasuno, Daichi arrived back to the barracks that evening to find his friends exhausted.  
“How’d they do?” He asked Semi who arrived just after he did.  
“Very well, actually. They may be loud, but they’re hard workers and take direction well. Though I think Shirabu pissed a couple of them off.”  
“I can’t imagine why.” Semi snorted at Daichi’s sarcasm. “So, since they’ve worn out most of that rambunctious behavior, do you think I could take them for a drink at Bokuto’s? With an escort of course.”  
Semi took a long look around the room and sighed. “To be honest, I could use a drink myself.”

Semi brought Ohira and Yamagata with him to escort all the Karasuno Knights (cleaned and changed out of their armor) through the town and to Bokuto’s tavern. Asahi and Nishinoya had joined them as well with flushed cheeks and satisfied smiles. Suga had to give them a couple jabs to keep their affection at appropriate levels. They entered the lively tavern to find it decently busy with a crowd of men surrounding two women in front of the fire. One of the maidens was dressed in an alluring dancing costume with tinkling bells on her hips. She swayed her body to the tune of a lute being played by her blonde companion, who smiled with flushed cheeks as she watched the dance herself.  
“Whoooaa,” several members of Karasuno exclaimed in unison as they gaped at them, along with half the tavern. The dancer tossed her shoulder length reddish brown hair and smirked at the newcomers. She swirled her hand in the air to the tempo and curled her fingers as if beckoning them forward as her shoulder wrap began to slip lower and lower off her shoulders. All the men surrounding her leaned forward in unison.  
“Yukie! Keep your clothes on, this isn’t _that_ kind of establishment!” Bokuto yelled at her from the bar, and Daichi chuckled at a few of the groans that could be heard throughout the room. Yukie cackled and waved a hand back at him, but she easily slipped the wrap back up her shoulders without faltering in her dance as the music continued. Daichi led the group toward the bar and greeted Bokuto warmly.  
“Hey hey hey! Every time you come you bring more people with you! I should start paying you a little on the side, eh Master Daichi?” Bokuto said with a wink.  
“You won’t hear me complaining! Or maybe just a free drink every once in awhile.”  
Bokuto bellowed out a laugh and said he’d think about it. Semi, Ohira and Yamagata grabbed their drinks and went to a table off to the side, just wanting to relax while still keeping an eye on them. Every seat at the bar ended up being occupied by a Karasuno Knight, who hung on every word of Bokuto’s hilarious tales.  
“Bokuto-san, your arms are huge!” Hinata exclaimed, his eyes wide with wonder as they careened over his biceps bursting out of his rolled up sleeves.  
“Oh, ha ha, thanks Chibi-chan!” Bokuto said, his face growing pink from the compliment.  
“What kind of training do you do?”  
“Eh? I don’t really train at all! Just lifting kegs of ale and barrels of wine!” To demonstrate he reached down and heaved a full barrel up and rested it on his shoulder, held still by only one arm.  
“Whhaaaaaaa!” HInata yelled as he clapped for Bokuto, Akaashi standing to the side and rolling his eyes. “I wanna try it!”  
Bokuto looked into Hinata’s shining face and smiled. “Awwww, how can I say no to that?!”  
“Bokuto-san, I’m not sure that’s a good ide-“ Akaashi started but was interrupted when Bokuto set the barrel down and leaned over the counter, gripped Hinata underneath his arms and yanked him clean over the bar. Laughter erupted from the knights as they watched Hinata try to pick the barrel up with his slender arms that didn’t even reach all the way around it.  
“Five gold coins says he splits his pants,” Said Tsukishima with a smirk, Yamaguchi snickering beside him.  
“I’ll take that bet! Put your back into it, Hinata!” Yelled Tanaka as he leaned forward excitedly.  
Ennoshita sighed, “No, _don’t_ put your back into it. Lift with your legs, otherwise you’ll get hurt.”  
In the end Hinata was able to raise it up an inch, but with the way everyone cheered one would have thought he lifted it one handed. Bokuto swung him up and set him on his shoulder as they whooped and hollered along the bar, leaving Akaashi to refill the drinks.  
Akaashi took the opportunity while filling Suga’s mug up to lean forward and ask Daichi, “So, I heard you had a good reunion yesterday.” He smirked as Daichi coughed into his drink.  
“Um...yeah. It was—it was nice.” His cheeks flushed bright red as he played with the handle of the mug.  
Akaashi nodded, “I’m glad. I hope for both your sakes it’ll happen more often. He was pretty down about it before.”  
Daichi smiled, “He was?”  
“Yeah...it was really pathetic.”  
Daichi chuckled, “Well, so was I really. Oh here,” he said as he dug into his pocket. He counted out some coins and laid them on the counter. “Will this cover everyone?”  
Akaashi looked them over, his eyebrow quirking up when he saw a note folded intricately small hidden among them. His slender hand swiped them up as he smiled. “Yes, that should be fine.”  
“Hey Hey, Master Daichi! Chibi-Chan’s great, can I keep him?”  
“Ha, no sorry, he’s mine. But you can always babysit for me if you’d like.”  
“Yes!! I’ll have him benchpressing kegs in no time!”  
After handing Hinata over the counter to Asahi, Bokuto and Akaashi went to attend other customers, and Daichi stole a quick glance around. Most of the patrons were still huddled around the women, and the three Shiratorizawa Knights looked exhausted as they leaned into the booth and languidly sipped their ale. He shifted slightly closer to Ennoshita and lifted his mug to his lips. Ennoshita instantly took the hint and leaned on the counter slightly closer to him, resting his chin on his hand.  
“So what does Ukai want me to do exactly? Is _he_ doing anything?”  
“He’s been in contact with some of the lords of the villages. They’ve had secret meetings to discuss what to do, and there's only one solution that they could agree on, though it’s a bit of a last resort.”  
“Which is?”  
“All of us, the entire Kingdom, banding together to overthrow the Prince.”  
Daichi gasped slightly and hissed under his breath, “They all agreed to that?!”  
“Apparently.”  
“And what then? Just let everyone govern themselves til the King returns? It’ll be chaos! I don’t see how that would work, or solve anything.”  
“No, they chose a temporary ruler.”  
Daichi looked at him incredulously, not even caring that the look was obvious to anyone who would look at him. “They already chose someone? What idiot could they have possibly chosen?”  
Ennoshita smirked at him, “You, of course.” He chuckled at the look of shock on his face when he suddenly stopped, his eyes looking past him and then back down to the bar. “Semi’s coming this way, change the subject quick.”  
“You okay Master Daichi?” Semi asked as he slipped on the other side of Ennoshita to get another ale from Bokuto. “You look concerned about something.”  
Daichi cleared his throat and sat back. “Well, apparently _somebody_ let it slip to my men that I fell off my horse yesterday,” he said, letting the irritation seep into his voice.  
Semi snorted, “Well, it wasn’t me, but now that I know they know I’ll feel free to laugh about it with them.”  
Ennoshita laughed and lifted his mug to him, “By all means, Sir.”  
Bokuto heard a bit of the conversation and chimed in. “Oh yeah, Master Daichi, I heard about that! How’s your ass?!” He asked in a voice loud enough to be heard by at least half the tavern. Semi buckled over in laughter while Daichi laid his head down on the counter and groaned.  
“I’ll never hear the end of this, will I?”  
“Nope,” answers Semi as he gave him a pat on the back and returned to his seat.  
When he was finally gone Ennoshita leaned back in. “Did you really fall off a horse?”  
Daichi turned his head slightly, still resting on the counter and grimaced. “No, I jumped off and let my horse run on ahead. They had a tail on me.”  
Ennoshita smirked and nodded, but said nothing else.  
“Umm, Ennoshita-san?” an irritated voice on the other side of him asked. They turned and saw Tsukishima had slid into the seat on the other side.  
Ennoshita blinked, “Where did Tanaka go?”  
“That’s what I wanted to tell you, he—“  
An uproar of laughter filled the tavern before Tsukishima could finish. They all turned in their seats to see that on either side of Yukie was Tanaka and Nishinoya, waving their hands to the lively tune. Their eyes were closed in serene reverie as they lost themselves in the music, swaying their hips with surprising ease. Yukie could hardly keep up with them as she fell into a fit of giggles, the audience clapping with the beat with cheers and whistles.  
Daichi laughed at the unruly duo, but Ennoshita groaned as he stood up. “I turn my back for one minute…” his voice trailed off as he stomped grumpily toward them.  
He was not successful at stopping the dance. Instead he ended up blushing wildly as Yukie slipped her wrap from her shoulders and swirled it around his neck and pulled him suggestively onto the dance floor. He swirled his head around frantically as Tanaka sidled up behind him, his grin completely evil as he pressed his body close. Ennoshita quickly became a sandwich between both dancers, while Nishinoya winked suggestively at Asahi who was watching with a red face over at the bar.  
While most of the attention was on the bizarre dancers, Akaashi slipped into the back from behind the bar. He heaved open the creaky door to the storeroom and scanned it with his sharp green eyes. In the dim light he only saw sacks of flour and crates of vegetables, but once his eyes adjusted he spotted one rolled up heap that he knew wasn't edible. With a fond smile he knelt down beside it, reaching out to remove a hood from a bright blonde head with dark roots. Kenma was sleeping soundly like a little kitten, his back rising and falling quietly. Out of Kuroo’s entire group, he was Akaashi’s favorite, like a little brother he never had. Whenever Kuroo and Bokuto get a little too exuberant, he can always rely on the smaller man to either help him calm things down or escape the situation altogether with an eye roll and sarcastic comment.  
Akaashi placed his hand Kenma’s shoulder and shook him gently. The large golden eyes fluttered and zeroed in on Akaashi. He gave a small smile and arched his back with a yawn.  
“You have something for me?” He asked sleepily.  
Akaashi nodded with a smirk, “Yup, Master Daichi could hardly go a day without sending him something.”  
Kenma snorted, “I’m relieved I haven’t been around Kuroo all day, you can practically see the hearts floating around his head. I’m glad I’ve never been like that, it’s embarrassing.”  
Akaashi chuckled softly and handed him the small folded note. “Well, you never know. You work in a tavern long enough and you can instantly tell how a person’s love life is going, especially with the more drinks they have. And it surprises me to no end how easily people fall in love and who with.”  
After slipping the note safely inside his cloak, Kenma stood up and dusted himself off. “How can I fall in love if I don’t even like people?” He asked with a nose scrunch and Akaashi shrugged. Kenma continued, “I’ll see you soon...probably with another disgusting love note.”  
Akaashi walked him to the back door, and with a quick look both ways, he stepped aside to let Kenma slip silently out. With one more wave to Akaashi he ran his fingertips over the stone wall of the tavern. Like a spider he began to scale it without making a noise and flitted up onto the roof. Keeping low so he was invisible to any passers by below, he crept along til he was at the edge facing the next building several feet away. He sprung easily into the air and landed with a soft thud on the next roof, immediately creeping along to the next. There was a certain spot in the city wall he liked to sneak through into the forest, a tiny hole underneath crumbling rock situated behind rows of squished up homes and completely left unattended. He found the hole easily in the dark and squeezed through snug opening.  
He breathed deep as he was once again enveloped by the calming trees around him. Hopping over brush and ducking under low hanging branches, he practically flew as he left the city far behind him. The only sounds to accompany him were the symphony of crickets rising and falling in the chilly air and the occasional hoot of an owl nestled on its branch.  
All too soon Kenma arrived at their current hideout where Kuroo, Kai and Yamamoto were huddled close on one side of the fire, talking in serious tones. He glanced at the other side where the younger cats were strewn about as they napped in a heap, except Lev who sat up straight with his back against a tree trunk with an excited gleam in his eye, his cloak fluffed about him. He locked eyes with Kenma who lifted an eyebrow to him. With a grin Lev lifted the left side of his cloak slightly to reveal a snoozing Yaku snuggled up to his side. With great care Lev replaced the cloak over him so he wouldn’t disturb him. Kenma smiled back at him and then turned his attention back on the conversing trio.  
“Kuroo, I have something for you,” he called when they noticed him and paused their hushed talk.  
Kuroo cocked his head toward him, “What do you have?”  
Kenma snuck his hand inside his cloak and pulled it out in a fist. When he held it out in front of Kuroo he opened it up with the intricately folded note resting on his palm. Kuroo’s eyes grew large as he processed what it was. He snatched it quickly out of his hand and immediately began to unfold the paper. Hopping up and down in his seat with excitement, his eyes flicked back and forth as he quickly read the words Daichi had written to him.

_L-_  
_I know it hasn’t been long since I have seen you, but I needed to explain a certain development that has taken me by surprise. It’s possible...well, very likely that you already know about the arrival of another troop of knights from Karasuno. I wanted to let you know that you have nothing to fear from them, unless they are accompanied by Shiratorizawa or Nohebi knights of course. These are my close friends and protoges that I have trained very closely with. I will explain your situation with them whenever I can, which is difficult since we’re hardly without the presence of a member of the Royal Guard._  
_Other than that, everyone bought my story about falling from my horse. Really they believed it a little too easily for my taste, I am actually a really good rider, but that’s not important. I had a difficult conversation with the Prince this morning, I am not sure he fully bought my story, but I don’t think he’ll press the issue any more. Hopefully he’ll forget about it soon. If there’s anything Karasuno Knights are good at, it’s being distracting. There are also some important things happening that I need to discuss with you, but cannot do so in a letter. It will have to wait til we meet up again._  
_I miss you already, and I hope it won’t be too long before I can see you._  
 _Love you  
D-_

“Who’s L?” Said a quiet voice behind him. Kuroo jumped and jerked around to see Kenma peeking over his shoulder.  
“Kenma! Don’t snoop in my letter, it’s for _ME_! And to answer your question we will always address each other as L and then our own initial to sign, so in case it’s intercepted there’s nothing to tie it to the other one.”  
Kenma frowned down at him, “But why L?”  
Kuroo pursed his lips and blushed slightly. “L is for...Love.”  
Kai and Yamamoto who were next to him burst out in laughter and Kenma grimaced.  
“That’s so cheesy,” he said and wandered over to the heap of his snoozing friends and curled up next to them near the fire.  
Kuroo smiled as he looked back down to the letter to read through it again. Yamamoto stretched his leg out and nudged him with his foot. “Hey, what’s the word?”  
“The knights that just arrived are actually from Karasuno, they’re Daichi’s friends so they’re okay. He’s gonna tell them about us so they don’t kill us, though we should still avoid them cuz they’re always stuck with an escort. Man the Prince really doesn’t trust Daichi one bit.”  
“Can you blame him?” Kai asked as he rubbed the back of his stiffening neck. “I mean, first of all everyone knows the King adored Daichi since he was a kid. He treated him more like a brother than he did Satori. And on top of that he knows that Daichi’s been on the outside of the City and knows what state the Kingdom is in, so obviously he’s wondering what Daichi’s gonna do about it.”  
“Why did the Prince invite Daichi back into the capital in the first place?” Yamamoto asked while poking a stick into the fire, sending sparks crackling out of it.  
Kuroo shrugged, “I’ve been wondering about that too ever since he arrived. My guess is he wants to keep a closer eye on his popular nephew, make sure he’s not raising up a coup or something.”  
“I think you’re right. He needs to be very careful. I’m not sure this was the best time for those knights to arrive, but at least he has more friends now on that side of the wall.”  
“Yes,” Kuroo answered, worry creasing across his forehead, “I hope he’ll be okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You didn’t think I was gonna leave out the rest of the crows, did you? :D  
> Thank you all for your encouraging comments! Don’t hesitate to leave more, they’re such a huge boost!  
> This last weekend was amazing for me writing out summaries future chapters, so have a lot planned! Right now I’m up to at least 18 chapters but it’ll probably be a bit more than that.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karasuno knights fit into things, Daichi gets a special task

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up this is kind of a short transitional chapter, I'll have more tomorrow!

For a whole week the arrival of the Crows settled down and life went on as usual. Working so closely with all the Shiratorizawa soldiers, the Karasuno Knights actually began to gain in popularity, particularly with the Royal Guard. Their first impression had not been the best with the clashing of personalities, but the country Knights quickly caught onto their assigned duties and impressed them with their outrageous skills. 

The Royal Guard had never been satisfied with the infiltration of the Nohebi Knights who would strut around the city like they were in charge and were sent out with more important tasks than they were. Prince Satori’s increasing reliance on them felt like a knife in their backs and wounded their pride. But the Karasuno Knights, though confident and ridiculous, had a humility about them and enjoyed learning new skills from everywhere they could. Semi himself even made it a point of praising them to Daichi, who was both grateful for the praise and relieved his friends were behaving themselves to that extent. 

He was able to pass information easily to Ennoshita to inform the group when he can, information such as the situation between the Prince, the Royal Guard and the Cat Thieves. He avoided saying anything of his relationship with Kuroo since that would only spur an endless amount of teasing and cause his friends to forget any secrecy around other knights. 

In turn Ennoshita informed Daichi more of their plans, including the fact that Ukai was currently residing in the nearby hold of Dateko and together they have been passing secret messages to each other via a trained raven. Ukai and Takeda have been uniting together with the other Lords to work out the details of taking back the Kingdom from the Prince. It was a relief to Daichi that he himself had nothing to do with that kind of planning. Despite everything going on and the corruption the Prince was saturating in every aspect of the Kingdom, he was still family and his Prince. He was left in charge by the King himself, and for Daichi to go against anything King Wakatoshi has put into place went against his very nature. Knowing what great love the King had for his people however, he was certain he would not want his people to suffer and starve in his absence. If the Prince was more open to change or listening to Daichi, perhaps things could be different, but they weren’t. The more Daichi dwelled on it, he knew they were right. He had to prepare himself for not only betraying his uncle Prince Satori, but for ruling in his place. That thought alone chilled Daichi down to his bones.

Another issue Daichi had was that he had nothing to do as he waited. Most of the knight duties were taken by his cohorts. Even Suga was working alongside Ennoshita and he was left alone to simply supervise whatever he could find. It was with great relief that Semi found him one day and said the Prince requested he supervise the mending a part of the City wall that had fallen into disrepair. He jumped at the chance and set forth early the next morning with his group of  workers and Goshiki to assist. He was getting used to the exuberant knight, and liked to encourage him when he could. Goshiki in turn was beginning to rely on Daichi as well, taking his advice with determination. He knew it would crush the younger man if he found out Daichi was involved with a coup against the Prince, but hoped if it ever came to that he and the rest of the Royal Guard would be able to see reason beyond their old friendship with the Prince. 

The crumbled wall was just a ways down a slope past the Castle’s own gate. It was so decrepit that it wouldn’t take much work to get over it, though the rubble was loose in some parts so it would be slightly precarious. He gave out his instructions to clear the loose stones and clean the inside. After that they could begin the repairs. As the workers immediately obeyed, moving together like a synchronized dance, Daichi wandered along the wall, his hand grazing the ancient stones.

“What are you doing, Master Daichi?” Goshiki asked curiously, following behind him a few steps back.

“Hmm, just seeing if there are any more cracks along here. We should make sure that if there are more points of decay we can fix it while we’re down here. That way the workers don’t have to go out of their way to fix more spots later.”

“Oh….that’s a good idea.” He rushed to the wall and kept following Daichi, though not as closely as before. He inspected every stone he could while crouching almost to the ground and then slowly stretching up to his tiptoes, his fingers reaching as high up the wall as he could searching for imperfections in the wall. Daichi chuckled but said nothing, letting Goshiki wear himself out on his own. He continued his own inspection further down when he stopped at the bottom of a hill, the wall curving around the bottom of it. He looked up and saw the creepy old windmill rising off of the peak, only two spokes still remaining and stretched out like dragon wings fluttering in the wind. He recalled fondly playing in there when he was young. For any young lad in the city it was a rite of passage to spend the whole night there alone without running away, even if you came upon a ghost. He remembered some other boys of the court daring him to do it, and he was never one to back down. He snuck out with them and they watched him go inside. They said that if he ran away and didn’t step out of the windmill in the morning he would be branded a chicken for life. So he waited the whole night, flinching at every noise and flicker of light through the dilapidated roof. He was certain every bit of movement was a ghost, when usually it ended up being a shrew or a pigeon. In the end he made it the whole night and stepped out in the morning with his chest puffed out. The boys were impressed, but the entire castle was in chaos looking for Daichi who was missing from his bed. The King at the time, Daichi’s grandfather, gave him a long stern lecture on doing one’s duty, which is also being where you’re expected to be and not causing trouble. Wakatoshi also took him aside that day, though he was only 8 years older than Daichi and at that time in his mid teens, and he gently told him there’s no shame in choosing duty over a childish dare. Though with a pat on Daichi’s back told him he was proud of him regardless. He gave him a tiny smile, which was so uncharacteristic of the serious Wakatoshi that it filled Daichi with joy. From that day on the two bonded even more, and he became Daichi’s mentor throughout the rest of his childhood. 

“Are you alright, Master Daichi?” Goshiki asked, finally caught up to him, his face in a frown as he inspected Daichi’s solemn face in a similar manner as he was the wall.

“Yes, I’m fine, just looking at the windmill. It reminded me of His Majesty the King.”

“Why would it remind you of the King?”

Daichi huffed out a laugh. “My mind was wandering a bit. The windmill was part of my childhood and it reminded me of one time I got in trouble. King Wakatoshi, who was the Prince back then, comforted me after a stern lecture. He was a good leader, even back then when he was so young.”

Goshiki gave him a smile, looking softer than he typically did. “He was always a good King, a great one! He trained most of us in the Royal Guard himself. No one was better at sword fighting than him, but I know I’ll beat him one day!” He really fired up with excitement, but faltered after finishing his proud statement. “Oh, I mean disarm him, I would never hurt the King of course.”

Daichi laughed and patted him on the back. “Don’t worry, I never thought you would.”

The rest of the day went by without any disasters, Daichi and Goshiki assisting the workers in repairing the wall and by that afternoon they were cleaning up. He sent Goshiki on ahead with a few crew members while he did a final inspection with the foreman. He noticed some children playing nearby at the bottom of the windmill hill, but they weren’t harming anything, so Daichi didn’t pay too much attention. It wasn’t until the final equipment was packed up that the children ran by, laughing and giggling. One little girl accidentally fell into Daichi and grabbed onto his hand. She looked up at him with sad brown eyes, and he immediately knelt down and asked if she was okay. With a few sniffs she nodded, and after he smiled at her she returned it, her mouth opening wide to show a huge gap of missing teeth. She slipped her hand out from his and ran off after the other children. He glanced inside his hand to find a tiny note folded in the shape of a cat head. He quickly slipped it into his inner pocket and turned to the foreman. 

“Ready to go back, Master Daichi?” The foreman asked, his hands already propping up a wheelbarrow. 

“No, you go on ahead. While I’m here there’s something I need to pick up from the market. I won’t be long.”

The foreman nodded and walked on ahead. Daichi looked around to make sure no one else was around, but the only people present were himself and the workers slowly making their way back. Even the children had disappeared without a trace. He quickly unfolded the note and read it.

 

_ Get inside the windmill. Hurry. _

 

That was all it said, no initials or any other instructions. Bewildered Daichi glanced around one more time, and with a shrug he turned and made the trip up the hill. It may have been a noticeable spot from most places in the city, but it was also covered with various trees, rocks and brush, so Daichi knew if he picked his path right no one would immediately see him climbing. He was just beginning to lose his breath when he reached the top and circled the crumbling stone til he found the door. It was even more ancient than in his memories with scrapes and dents across the wood and water stains creating spooky variations in the grain. The note said to simply get inside, so he cautiously creaked open the door and peeked around. It was really dim, the only light was from the sunlight pouring in from the upper windows. He walked in a little further when a hand gripped his arm and pulled in him and slamming the door shut behind him. He was pinned back against the door when a familiar face appeared in front of him. The sly grin was unmistakable as it leaned in closer toward his own lips, enveloping them with a deep breath and a soft hum. 

As the shock wore off and a pleasant warmth spread throughout his body, Daichi placed his hands on Kuroo’s slender waist and brought him in even closer, gripping his fingers into the toned muscles as he opened his mouth up. He could feel the smile on the other man’s face as Kuroo reciprocated, letting his tongue slip in and explore along his own. The hands pinning Daichi’s shoulders relaxed and slid up to cup his face. Kuroo pulled back just enough from the kiss to press his lips gently all over his face. 

“What took you so long? I was expecting a note earlier.”

Kuroo groaned and and lifted off. “I’m sorry, I wrote over and over but there wasn’t anything definite I could tell you. I knew you needed to see me and I didn’t know when I’d be able to manage it.” He stuck his lip out and gazed into his eyes. “Will you forgive me?”

Daichi smirked, “Well, I don’t know. I think you’ll just have to make it up to me.”

Kuroo brightened, “Ooooh, what did you have in mind?”

“Hmm, well, I don’t see a  _ bed _ ,” Kuroo hung his head in shame as Daichi chuckled, “But maybe some other time. Right now I’m not sure how much time I have before they start looking for me. I have to tell you what’s happening.”

Kuroo noted the serious tone and straightened up. “Ok, what’s going on?”

“Sir Ukai and Lord Takeda have gathered together all the Lords of the Kingdom at Dateko to discuss what to do, and in the end they all agreed to one thing. They’re planning on completely overthrowing the Prince.”

Kuroo’s eyes widened in shock. “Are you sure all of them agreed to it?”

Daichi nodded, “Yes, the Nohebi knights have taken to actually beating and arresting people if they cannot pay their taxes, and hardly any of them can. The lords can’t stand by any longer, and apparently something strange happened to the last lord of Ougiminami who actually went to the Prince with his complaint.”

“What happened to him?”

“No one knows. He just disappeared and the Prince put the lord’s cousin in charge of the village instead. The new lord followed the Prince’s command, but he’s joined us as well, eager to find out what happened to his cousin and seek justice.”

Kuroo let out a heavy breath and scratched his head. “This is huge, Daichi. How are they even planning on doing it? Can we help?”

“I’m sure we’ll definitely need it. It’s tentative, but the plan right now is to cause a huge distraction and allow all our soldiers to infiltrate into the city and into the castle. We’ll have more men than he does considering we’ll have the knights gathered from all the villages, but they’re not as highly trained as the Shiratorizawa Knights.” As he said that last statement, Daichi sighed. “That’s another thing I’ve been concerned about. I deeply respect the Shiratorizawa Knights, and particularly the Royal Guard. I’ve known some of them for years and know that they’re loyal to the King. If only we could sway their loyalty.” 

Kuroo nodded, “I’ll see what I can do to stir up some rumors about the Nohebi arrests and beatings in the city, maybe the knights will hear of it and cause some natural dissension. Bokuto and Akaashi could probably drop some hints as well, the tavern is great for that, and it’s impossible to find the origin of the rumor that way.”

“Good, any little bit will help.”

Kuroo frowned, “So, if we overthrow the Prince, who’s in charge?” Daichi groaned and Kuroo gave a little gasp. “You’re kidding. They chose  _ you?! _ I mean, don’t get me wrong, I think you’ll do great, I have faith in you. But damn...how do you feel about that?”

“I’ve agreed that it’s the best thing to do, and I will do my duty to the King and hold it for him until he returns. But I’m terrified. Especially if we fail. There are so many people I could lose if we’re defeated.”

Kuroo leaned in and gave him another kiss. “We won’t. We can’t let him win, too much is at stake.” 

Daichi sighed and looked around. “I have to go, they’ll come looking for me if I don’t.”

Kuroo’s face fell, but he nodded. “I understand, the last thing we want is for his Majesty to get more suspicious of you than he already is. I’ll do what I can to assist, maybe I’ll even send one of my guys to Dateko to see if Sir Ukai can use us in any way.”

Daichi smiled, “That’s a great idea. I’ll send a raven to him to expect someone, so he’s not suspicious.” He reached up and encircled his hands around Kuroo’s neck and gently pulled him in. He was still pouting about them parting so soon, so Daichi leaned in and sucked on his lower lip that was popping out, pulling it gently and letting it go. The smile began to spread back across Kuroo’s face as he wrapped his arms around Daichi’s back and pulled him in for another kiss. They finally parted and Kuroo bumped their foreheads together.

“Promise me you’ll be careful.”

“I will. You too?”

Kuroo nodded and allowed him to slip out of his arms, feeling a wave of cool air sweep across him. He watched as Daichi gave him one last sad smile and slip through the door, disappearing from his sight. He groaned and face planted against the door, the rest of his body limp. He loathed saying goodbye, and he hoped down deep into his soul that one day they’ll no longer have to.

Daichi slinked down the hill on the other side from where he came up, coming out not too far from the market. When he emerged from around a boulder and immersed himself in the crowd, he quickly perused the stalls and grabbed some of the treats Suga was fond of as an excuse and immediately made his way back into the castle. Goshiki was waiting for him at the gate with Ohira and Shirabu who appeared to be lecturing him, his face red with embarrassment. 

“Is everything okay?” He asked innocently, and they all jerked in surprise at his arrival and Goshiki’s mouth dropped open comically.

“Ah, there you are, Master Daichi,” said Ohira, putting forth as pleasant a voice as he could muster. “Where have you been? We were worried.”

Daichi shrugged, “I just went into the market since it had been a while. I needed to pick up a couple things for Suga,” he explained as he held up the bag of treats in his hand.

“I wish you would have told me,” Goshiki grumped, earning a slap across the back of his head from Shirabu.

“Be polite, Goshiki.”

“I’m sorry, Sir Goshiki. I only realized I needed to go into the market when you had already gone ahead. I told the foreman where I was going, did you ask him?”

Goshiki opened his mouth and then closed it. He pursed his lips and looked away, not meeting anyone’s eyes.

Ohira sighed heavily. “Well, no harm done. Let’s get inside. After you, Master Daichi.”

“Thank you,” he replied with a pleasant smile, and lead them all inside with Shirabu and Goshiki whispering vehemently to each other behind him. They were crossing the inner hall when they heard a huge commotion coming from the throne room. They all glanced at each other and without a word rushed in to see what was happening. The Prince was seated on the throne with Semi and Yamagata on either side of him and Daishou was standing near them with a smirk on his face as they all stared down into the crowd of Nohebi Knights. A few knights were cheering and congratulating each other, while a few were tightly knit in a semi circle facing the throne, not moving an inch. 

“Your Majesty, is everything okay?” Ohira asked as they approached. The Prince’s hooded eyes narrowed at them, an unnerving smile spreading across his face.

“Yes, I’m glad you’re all here,” he answered as he stood up. He motioned down to the tightly knit group of knights for them to turn around. “It appears that the Knights of Nohebi have caught a cat.”

Daichi’s chest seized, and he watched as the knights turned to reveal a short man with auburn hair and brown eyes clapped in chains in the middle of them, a bruise swelling across his cheek. He couldn’t breathe as he and Yaku locked eyes with each other, and he sensed the whole world collapsing around him.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yaku was captured by the Nohebi knights, and Daichi does whatever he can to help.

They approached Yaku and the knights, Ohira, Shirabu and Goshiki wanting a closer look at one of the infamous cats.

“How on earth did you capture him?” Shirabu asked in an irritated tone. It had been the Shiratorizawa Knight’s mission to capture the cats, so for a Nohebi Knight to actually capture one was just another shot to their pride.

One haughty looking knight stepped forward, his eyes glinting like the snake silhouette stretched across his chest plate. “ _ I  _ caught him myself. I was simply collecting taxes from a local farmer and he interfered violently.”

“Tch,” Yaku interjected with a scowl on his face. “I wasn’t the violent one! I was just wandering down the path when I saw you throwing the farmer down and molesting his daughter!”

The knight turned and slapped Yaku across the face with his gloved hand. Daichi winced, seeing the amount of force behind the hit. A pressure of rage began to boil in his stomach, but he took a deep breath as he stepped forward to look the knight in the face.

“Wow...so this is great discipline of the Knights of Nohebi,” he gritted through a clenched jaw. “Really, I’m  _ impressed _ he’s so fearful of a man wrapped up in chains that you would use such violence in the regal court room and in the presence of His Majesty.” He glanced around the gaping knight to look Daishou in the eyes across the courtroom. “I’m afraid I’m confused Lord Daishou. It sounds like your knight here was harming a citizen and this prisoner was simply traveling by and intervened. And this wouldn’t be the first time I’ve heard of your knights behaving this way. What even makes you think this man is one of the cats? If anything I wouldn’t think one of  _ them  _ would be so bold!”

“I agree with him,” Semi spoke, cocking an eyebrow at Lord Daishou. “This is very uncharacteristic of a cat. I would also like to explore these allegations against your knights inflicting violence on innocent civilians. Particularly the ungentlemanly behavior towards a young woman.”

The smirk had completely left Daishou’s face, and for once he had the decency to look a little uncomfortable. Before he could say anything, Yamagata spoke as well.

“I think perhaps we should summon the farmer himself. If he confirms the prisoner’s story, then I think perhaps some disciplinary actions should be in order for the knight in question.”

“This is ridiculous!” The knight protested loudly. He shoved his finger toward Yaku and sputtered, “This is one of those thieving demons and  _ I’m  _ the one being put on trial?!”

“I still don’t understand why you thought he’s one of them. If any person walked by and witnessed a knight harming a poor farmer, they would have done the same. Any  _ decent  _ person that is. Do you even know what any of the cats look like?”

“Yes!” The knight grumbled as his eyes shot daggers at Daichi. “Everyone knows what Kuroo Tetsurou looks like!”

Daichi raised his eyebrows and motioned toward the prisoner, “Oh? So this is the infamous Kuroo Testurou? Hmm, I thought he’d be taller,” he said with a smirk, not daring to look Yaku in the eyes.

The knight faltered, “Well, no, this isn’t Kuroo, that guy’s taller with funny hair.”

Daichi sighed, “So what makes you think  _ this _ man is one of them?”

“He was a good fighter and moved like a cat!”

Semi beside the Prince rolled his eyes. Daichi felt a small relief that the Royal Guard was siding with him until the Prince stood up and everyone fell still.

“That’s enough of this uncouth arguing,” he said with a wave of his hand and began to descend the steps. “The  _ point _ is that this man interfered with a knight performing duties that I the Prince gave him. For that he must be punished, regardless of who he is. That at least would earn him a few days in the stockade in town square. However, I’m constantly worried for the people quivering in fear of these thieves sneaking about in the woods. If we were to announce we caught one of them, the people would be overjoyed and feel secure once again. And if he were to be hung for his crimes, it would send the appropriate message to the rest of the cats.”

Daichi gasped as the Prince revealed his intentions toward his old friend, his skin breaking out in a cold sweat. Even the Royal Guard was staring at the Prince in shock.

“Your Majesty, don’t you think that’s excessive?” Semi inquired as he descended the steps after him. “He may not be one of the cats, we would be hanging an innocent man!”

“Hardly innocent if he’s interfering with knight’s business,” he sneered as he approached Yaku, leering down at him and showing the full difference between their heights.

Yaku kept his mouth shut wisely, and did not look the Prince in his eyes. He simply bit his lip as he stared forward, his eyebrows creased up in worry. He was one of the most strong willed people Daichi had ever met, but the tenuous situation he was in could break down the most resilient person.

“But your Majesty,” Semi continued, “If it’s true this knight was behaving in such a disgraceful way, don’t you think it warrants—“

“No,” he said curtly, shutting down anymore protests. “It does not warrant. My decision is final. You two,” he said, his eyes flicking to the knights on either side of Yaku, “Take this prisoner to the dungeon. Lord Daishou, please facilitate preparing the hangman’s noose for this man to be hung in town square in two days. I trust you all can handle that much?” He asked as he swept past them and left the courtroom without another word. Yamagata quickly followed after him, but Semi was frozen as he stared after him. 

“Guards, do as the Prince has requested,” Daishou sneered as he too walked down the stairs toward them. He paused in front of Semi and smirked up at his face. “We have work to do. The Prince does rely on us so much.”

With that Daishou left the room with the rest of the knights and Yaku being yanked along, throwing one last look of desperation to Daichi, who wished he could return it with some confidence, but found none. Once he was alone with the Royal Guard, he turned to face them.

“Sir Semi, is there nothing we can do? This isn’t right.”

Semi blinked as he broke from his stupor. His eyes slid to Daichi, his forehead creased above his furrowed brows. “I don’t know, this isn’t like the Prince at all.” He stepped toward Daichi and laid a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll do what I can, but I’m not sure he can be dissuaded. Try not to raise much of a ruckus about this, he won’t tolerate any rebellion, and he wouldn’t hesitate to put you in your place, regardless that you’re his nephew.” With that he and the rest of the Royal Guard stepped out of the room, leaving Daichi alone in the cavernous throne room feeling like he was drowning in the depths of the cold black ocean.

He rushed up to the wing of the castle where they were staying and went straight for Suga’s room. He let out a breath of relief when he saw that Ennoshita was there sharing a cup of tea with his friend, and they stood up in alarm at the state he was in.

“What happened?” Suga asked as he rushed over.

“Shhh, we don’t have much time to speak and this needs to be quiet. They’ve captured Yaku, a member of Kuroo’s band. They don’t know for sure he’s one of the cats, but the Prince wants to hang him anyways in two days.”

“What? That’s ridiculous!” Ennoshita seethed. “Is he honestly throwing out all laws of trial?”

“Yes, that’s what it looks like. He says he wants to prove a point.”

“What do we do?” Suga asked urgently.

Daichi opened his mouth but closed it. His head was throbbing as he searched out every possible solution, but could find none without putting nearly everyone else in danger. He finally looked up at Ennoshita.

“We need to know every option as soon as possible. Go write a quick letter to Ukai reviewing the details. I seriously doubt any of us are ready to enact any of our previous plans for an overthrow, but maybe he’ll come up with something to help. Make sure you send the letter off before anyone sees you, okay?” Ennoshita nodded and was about to step away before Daichi snagged his arm. “Wait...are any of the guys free right now?”

“Yes, I think Kageyama and Hinata are resting in the barracks. They were assisting in repairing the lookout tower today.”

“Let me draw up a note for Kuroo real quick. He may already know Yaku’s been captured, but he needs to know all the details. Pass the note to them and have them visit Bokuto’s tavern and pass the note to him or Akaashi. Make sure they realize how imperative it is that  _ no one  _ sees the note or them passing it off. Let them work out a way, probably using one of their slick decoy moves to distract attention.”

With a rushed scrawl across his stationary, he folded it up as tightly as he could in his haste. It wasn’t pretty, but he cared little for that as he placed it in Ennoshita’s waiting palm. With a quick nod his protege hurried out of the room.

A unnerving silence hung between them as Daichi dropped his face into his hands, the fear and stress seeping into every muscle in his body. He felt an arm wrap around his shoulder, and he peeked his eyes above his fingers to see Suga’s face lay against his shoulder.

“It’s going to be okay, Daichi,” he whispered, though tight lines were etched across his forehead. “If we can’t figure something else out, I’m sure Kuroo will.”

Daichi felt his stomach churn at the thought. “That’s exactly what I’m afraid of.”

 

The castle loomed in the night in a hushed quiet like a mountain keeping diligent watch over the wilderness surrounding it. Every corner, each winding hallway, every single room did not stir a breath in tense silence. In the depths the ancient household of the Royal Family, far below ground level, was the dungeon. Only accessible by a single twisting staircase and guarded at both ends, it was a damp abyss shrouded in darkness, the dim flickering light of a torch casting shadows across the bars and stones. Yaku sat shivering in a cell, his wrists aching and raw from the frigid iron cuffs weighing him down. His back was uncomfortably leaning against the mildewy stone wall with drips of water snaking down the cracks like escaping tears. He let out a shuddering breath and watched it slip past his chapped lips with a lick of steam curling up into the air. 

He was furious that he allowed himself to get caught, priding himself on being one of the most cautious members of Kuroo’s band. He thought of his beloved friends and prayed they would stay out of trouble, but felt his stomach grip knowing that none of them feared trouble and would do what they could to free him. He was prepared to die rather than his friends get caught and was determined to accept his fate regardless. He sucked in a quick breath however when he thought of Lev. Over the past couple years they had been getting closer, and his eyes grew hot and moist at the thought of never feeling Lev’s large hand cupping his face and smiling his ridiculous face close by. How many times they had almost kissed, and now he would never know how it felt to feel his lips against his own. Before he could stop it Yaku sobbed and dropped his head down, nestling it in his arms propped up by his knees. His shoulders shook as he released all the pent up emotions he had been holding back for so long. He was so immersed in his sorrow he didn’t hear the two guards posted at the door fall down with a quiet thud. 

“Oh Yaku, don’t be like that, it’s okay.” 

He stopped the sobbing with a gasp and looked up. Kuroo’s concerned face hovered beyond the bars, his fingers messing with the jingling keys in his hand. 

“What the hell are you doing here?!” He cried as he wiped his face his sleeve and shuffled over to him. Glancing around he saw the fallen guards at the bottom of the stairs. “Is it just you?”

Kuroo squinted as he inspected the shape of the key and looked to the next one. “No, Fukunaga is above and keeping watch, he’ll send a signal if anyone’s coming.”

Yaku gripped onto the thick bars. “Just forget about it, we can’t risk you getting caught.”

“They’re gonna kill you, Yaku, I’m not gonna sit back and let it happen.”

“Just leave it, please, I’ll be fine!”

Kuroo snorted harshly as he turned the next one up and froze. Up the staircase came the echo of a dove coo.

“Shit, I gotta hurry.”

“Kuroo, they’re coming, there’s no time!” Yaku seethed in a fierce whisper. “Please, just...if anything happens to me, tell Lev-“

With a growl Kuroo flung the keys in anger, hitting one of the unconscious guards in the head. He gripped onto Yaku’s hand and pressed his forehead against the bar near his face. “I won’t tell him anything,  _ you _ will. We’ll get you out of here Yaku. We won’t give up, and neither will you.” 

Like a shadow he flew back up the stairs where Fukunaga was waiting. 

“They’re coming, what do we do?” He whispered to Kuroo as his large eyes flickered back and forth down the hall. Sure enough a large group of soldiers could be heard approaching around the corner. 

Kuroo gripped his shirt and looked him dead in the eye. “Just get away, do not let them see you. Do what you can to get back to the forest without being followed or caught. I’ll lead them away so they won’t know you’re here.”

“But—“

“No buts, go,  _ now!” _

Fukunaga took off down the hallway to a grand window and slipped behind a hanging drape. Kuroo shoved the other set of unconscious guards aside so the armor made a loud clang against the floor. 

“I heard something! Over here!” He heard a soldier call, and he waited just long enough for them to spot him when he lunged forward. He snagged a sword from one of the fallen soldiers and flung it at them. They ducked and it just soared over their heads. When they turned they only saw the flickering flames disturbed from the rush of air sweeping past the torches on the wall. They chased after Kuroo down the hall, barely keeping him in their sights since he was unfettered from bulky armor and naturally more athletic. He could have disappeared entirely, but he wanted to ensure Fukunaga escaped without any altercation. He couldn’t bear it if he lost another one of his friends. His lungs began to burn as he twisted from hall to hall, losing track of where he even was. He began to hear voices raised in other parts of the castle, and knew it was time to lose his pursuers for good before he gets cornered. He was at a crossroads of hallways that still remained empty. He went a little further straight ahead and knocked a suit of armor down with a metal racket bouncing down the hallway. He whirled and went back to the crossroads and ran down a different hall entirely, hoping they would lose his trail. It was entirely vacant and he noticed a door slightly cracked with only darkness behind it. He scurried over and peeked in, finding it was some sort of broom closet. He slipped inside and pulled it shut quietly. He pressed his back up against a wall and froze, sucking his breath in deeply and letting it out slowly through his lips. He closed his eyes and willed his heartbeat to slow, letting his chest rise and fall in silence. He heard footsteps rush down the hallway where the armor was laying across the floor with shouts to their companions. His eyes shot open when he heard them split up, and soon a few sets of feet could be heard approaching his door. He sucked in a deep breath and held it trapped in his lungs, not allowing any part of his body to move. It was not until the footsteps had long faded did he allow the breath to be released slowly. He knew he couldn’t stay there. It would only be a matter of time before they doubled back and checked more thoroughly. Cautiously he turned the handle of the closet and cracked it open. The only sound to be heard was of far distant yelling from the soldiers in other parts of the castle. He leaned out the door and quickly looked back and forth. He was about to emerge when a figure came rushing around the corner. He slinked back to the door and was about to shut it when he saw who it was in the dim torchlight. He had only seen him once, but the grey haired man was unmistakably Daichi’s best friend, hurrying down the hall looking alarmed. He waited until he was just about to pass him by when Kuroo lunged out and grabbed onto him, smacking his palm across his mouth and pulling him into his pitch black closet. As soon as he closed the door behind him he snuck a match from his pocket and lit it, holding it between their faces. The man’s eyes visible above his hand were wide with fear.

“It’s okay!” He whispered quickly. “I’m sorry I had to do that, don’t worry, I won’t hurt you. You’re Suga, right? Daichi’s friend?” 

Suga blinked in surprise but nodded up and down quickly.

“I’m Kuroo, his, uh...you know..”

Suga’s eyebrows shot up and he nodded even more.

“Ok, good, you’ve heard of me. Promise not to yell or anything if I remove my hand?” Another nod, and he slid his hand from Suga’s mouth. He didn’t make any noise except to take a deep breath.

“I heard the commotion, there are soldiers everywhere! Did you free Yaku?”

Kuroo winced at both the question and the match singing his fingers. He blew it out and fished another one from his pocket, lighting it quickly and illuminating the space between them.

“No, we tried but we couldn’t get them out. I lead them away from my friend but I need somewhere to hide. Can you help?”

“Yes, we need to hurry. They’ll be back any minute.”

Suga blew the match out himself and for a moment they both stood still, listening for any movement beyond the door. He cracked the door open and leaned his head out. The hall was empty, so they crept out and closed the door silently behind them. Kuroo followed as Suga took off down the hall toward the intersection of all the hallways. They paused once more at the corner, looking all directions, and then they ran through and continued down the hall. He was about to pass a door when he stopped dead.

“What is it?” Kuroo whispered urgently, but Suga didn’t answer. He grabbed Kuroo’s hand and swept into the room beside them and shut the door. Kuroo looked around and found it to be a bedroom while Suga tore over to the foot of the bed, threw open a giant case and swept a heap of clothes onto the bed.

“Come here!” He whispered as he waved his hand frantically to Kuroo, beckoning him closer. He crossed the room in just a couple steps with his long stride and looked inside. It was a deep clothing case now devoid of any garments. He cocked his head at Suga who winced apologetically back at him.

“I hope you’re flexible.”

Kuroo huffed a laugh. “Don’t worry, I am.” He leaned down and gripped the sides of the case, he swung his legs underneath him and into the case. He contorted his body so he was as flat to the bottom as possible. 

Suga looked him over appraisingly, and then gave him a little smirk. “Lucky Daichi,” he said and gave him a wink. He then slipped a flat board off the bed and placed it on top of him and squished it as far as he could, hearing a light grunt underneath. Satisfied he began to put the close back efficiently with surprising coordination. He took one last look over to make sure nothing gave it away and shut the lid, locking it tightly. For good measure he tossed an open sack and a pair of boots on top of it. He took a deep breath to steady himself and looked around his room. He stripped his clothes off and hopped into his bed. Slipping underneath the covers he blew out the candle on his night stand and snuggled in. He took a piece of sheet and wiped the sweat off his face and took a few deep breaths, spacing them apart and allowing the visual manifestation of sleep to overtake him. 

It was fifteen minutes later and his heartbeat was still pounding in his chest, but the stress had allowed his body to grow heavy and his eyelids slink shut. It was then that he heard loud arguing outside his door and a pounding knock. Before he could sit up and answer the door swung open and two Nohebi knights holding torches barged into the room with Daichi close behind. Even though he expected them, he let the look of alarm spring on his face as he rubbed his eyes.

“You can’t just come in here like this!” Daichi blustered, wearing nothing but a pair of sleep pants and no shoes. “I don’t care what’s happening it doesn’t give you the right to just enter a person's room when they’re not even awake.”

“We beg your pardon, Master Daichi, but circumstances as these call for desperate measures,” one knight answered as he looked Suga over, the other one searching every corner of his room.

“What’s going on?” Suga asked, pouring concern in his voice and looking at Daichi desperately. He met his gaze and shrugged his broad shoulders.

“They won’t even tell me what’s going on, I only asked a million times.”

“It doesn’t concern you,” stated the other knight with his head submerged in a wardrobe, wrapping his knuckles along the sides and back.

“It doesn’t concern me?! I’m the Prince’s nephew, and you just waltzed into my room without any warning and tore it apart! Now you’re doing the same to my friend, I demand an explanation!”

The first knight sighed and lifted himself off the floor from looking underneath of Suga’s bed. “There was an attempted jailbreak tonight. The cats tried to free their friend but failed when we caught up. We chased him throughout the castle but lost him. We know he’s still here somewhere, so we’re not leaving any stone unturned.”

Daichi gasped but said nothing. He shared a worried look with Suga, who turned back to the knight.

“Do you think we’re in danger?”

“It’s a possibility, you may not want to go straight back to sleep in case he tries to force himself in here. A criminal like that may just resort to violence just to save his own skin.” Suga nodded and when the knight turned away shot a warning look to Daichi, who had crossed his arms at the insult to Kuroo and glared at the knight. Suga’s eyes flickered back to the knight who had began to look over the case at the foot of his bed. 

“What’s in here?” He said as he gave it a kick. “Seems heavy.”

“It is, that’s where I keep some extra garments for Master Daichi.”

“ _ Extra  _ garments?!” Daichi asked disbelieving. He held his hand out toward the room next door and continued, “There are hundreds of outfits over in my room!”

Suga rolled his eyes. “I knew you wouldn’t bring nearly enough appropriate clothing to wear to court, so I had to pack for you. I was saving a particular outfit for you in that case, though you haven’t had the occasion to wear it just yet.” 

“Hey,” The knight interrupted, “Can you open it? I still have to check it out.”

“Of course,” Suga answered as he swept the sheets back. He was dressed only in his underwear, and he noticed the knight’s cheeks begin to flush at the sight of him. He gave him a shy smile as he stopped beside him, bending over with grace so his back was attractively arched with his butt in the air. He could almost hear Daichi’s eyes roll in his head as his fingers fluttered over the lock and it snapped open. He lifted the lid and straighten up, biting his lip gently as he locked eyes with the knight.

“How’s that?” He asked innocently.

“R-Really good,” the knight stammered, his cheeks even redder as his eyes never strayed from him. Suga stepped away from the case, allowing his hips to sway as he walked back beside Daichi to wait. When he turned the knight finally startled and cleared his throat, kneeling down to search through the case. He shoved the clothes aside and inspected it for a moment. With a sigh he stood back up and flipped the lid down.

“Find anything?” He asked the other knight, who joined him and shook his head.

“Nah, let’s move on.”

They walked toward the door and stepped out without another word, leaving the room in complete disarray. As soon as the door was shut, Daichi turned to him.

“Was the flirting really necessary?” He whispered.

“Yes!” Suga whispered back and swiped a robe off his bed and wrapped it around him. He began to walk back to the case when they heard a shriek in the room next to them. They both ran to the door and burst into the hallway. They saw the two knights shuffling quickly away and around the corner, a red faced Asahi peeking his head out, and a completely nude Nishinoya with his hands on his hips, ignoring his fully erect member sticking out for everyone to see. He turned when he heard them come out and just shrugged.

“They burst in without knocking, so I asked if they wanted to join...guess not!” And with that he shoved Asahi back into the room with an impish grin. 

Daichi and Suga sputtered with laughter as they hurried back into the room.

“Okay, I think the coast is clear,” he said, jogging over to the case and lifting the lid up once again.

Daichi watched as Suga reached in and threw the clothes haphazardly onto the bed and fling the light board after it. He saw Suga purse his lips as he looked into the case.

“Sorry it took so long, you okay?”

Daichi was just about to ask what the hell he was talking about when a long leg sprung out of the case, followed by another. Two hands gripped the sides as Kuroo heaved himself out of it with a groan, his back toward Daichi. His neck cracked as he shifted his head around.

“Yeah I’m okay, just a bit stiff.”

“Kuroo!” Daichi whispered loudly and Kuroo hopped up and whirled around. He smiled as he was tackled into tight hug, and he let his eyes wander unabashedly over Daichi's muscular back. “Are you okay?! I was so worried you’d get caught too.” He said, slacking off the hug to look up into Kuroo’s face, but not releasing him completely.

“I’m okay, Fukunaga was with me but I’m pretty sure he got away easy, they only knew I was there so they weren’t looking for two of us. But we couldn’t get Yaku out,” he said as his face fell, his jaw clenching in frustration. “I was so close, I had the keys and everything, but they were right there. He was...he was practically weeping when I found him in his cell. He really thinks he’s gonna die.”

Daichi held his palm up to his cheek and forced him to look at him. “Not if I can help it, Kuroo. We have to do something.”

“Though now that you tried to free him, it’s basically confirming he’s a part of your group,” Suga reminded them as he sat down on his bed.

Kuroo shrugged, “They were gonna kill him anyways, we need to get him out.” 

“Then let us help this time.” Daichi offered, but Kuroo grasped onto his shoulders and gave him a stern look.

“No! I’m not letting you get involved. I…I won’t lose you too.” His voice broke a bit as his hands slid up to cup his face. 

“You won’t lose me, I can’t just stand by and do nothing!”

Suga cleared his throat. “Uhhh, I hate to break this up, but I think we could all do with some sleep. Perhaps you lovebirds could scurry off to your own nest?”

They looked slightly embarrassed at being caught in their tender moment and nodded. They crept to the door to listen, and hearing nothing Daichi poked his head out. He waved behind him and Kuroo followed closely behind. They quickly crept down the hall and swept into the next room. Daichi shut it behind them and bolted it closed. Hesitantly he turned around, and he and Kuroo regarded each other. He blushed when he saw Kuroo bite his lip and his golden eyes careen over his naked torso. With a breath they stepped toward each other, Daichi hopping up and throwing his arms around Kuroo’s broad shoulders. Kuroo caught him and linked his arms under his butt to hoist him up as their lips met in a heated kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I literally cried when I wrote the scene of Yaku alone in his cell, I felt so bad for him, and had to remind myself that I'm the one who put him there...oops.   
> Don't forget I love comments, so don't hesitate if you wanna say something! Hopefully I'll have more for you all tomorrow and just to warn you, next chapter will definitely up the rating of this to explicit. Hot stuff coming!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroo and Daichi finally have their "moment" in an actual bed and all the knights of the castle prepare the next day for another possible jailbreak

Daichi let out a moan as their lips pressed against each other over and over, his legs tightening around Kuroo’s waist. The desperation in their kisses caused it to be messy, but they didn’t care as they strengthened their grip on each other. He slid his hand up through the messy wave of black hair and gripped onto the back, letting his tongue slip into Kuroo’s mouth. Kuroo opened wider allowing the tongue full admittance and welcomed it softly with his own. He turned with Daichi in his arms and shuffled over to the bed. He reached his knee up and placed it on the mattress, and with a hop lifted both of them up and then plunged down into the soft bedding. He let all his weight fall onto Daichi as they continued their kissing, his hands now free to wander up the beautiful body below him, muscles carved like a marble statue, but instead of rock hard and cold, they were warm and full of comfort. He raked his fingers up Daichi’s sensitive ribs, causing him to shiver as an undesired giggle tumbled through his lips.

“Mmmmm, you always were ticklish right there, weren’t you?” Kuroo said slyly against Daichi’s impatient lips.

“Yeah, yeah...just like you were ticklish here.” Daichi slid his hand down and grazed his fingers on the underside of Kuroo’s buttcheeks. The long body stretched over him stiffened and a light squeal popped out of Kuroo. Daichi snorted at the unamused look on Kuroo’s face. He lifted his face and kissed the tip of his nose, and then his cheek and down to his lips as they lifted into a small smile. 

Just as quickly as the smile grew on his face, suddenly it fell and Kuroo looked away.

“What is it?” Daichi asked.

“I...I just feel like an asshole, being here with you and doing, um, enjoyable things...and Yaku’s still down in a cold damp cell in a dungeon. And he’ll die if we don’t get him out of there.”

Daichi gave him a sad smile and let his fingers stroke through Kuroo’s gravity defying locks. “I know, I wish he’d never gotten captured. But we will get him out Kuroo, somehow. We don’t have to do this now, there’s no pressure. I’m happy just being with you.”

Kuroo groaned and dropped his head face down into the bedding, his chin nestled above Daichi’s shoulder. “Why do we feel like if we don’t do this now we’ll never get to?”

“Mmm, nothing like a pessimistic attitude to put me in the mood,” Daichi chuckled as he began to scratch Kuroo’s back through his black shirt. As soon as he began Kuroo began to arch it slightly like his skin had been craving the contact. Daichi felt his body vibrate as Kuroo hummed in appreciation. He sucked in a breath when he felt lips press against his neck and up toward his ear.. Kuroo’s hands slipped underneath him, one cradling his back and the other dipping down into his pants, giving him a little squeeze of his own. Unlike Kuroo though, he wasn’t ticklish there. Instead it sent shockwaves through his lower abdomen. He reached down and gripped Kuroo’s shirt and pulled it up, exposing his lower back. Kuroo released him and slid his hands out from under him. He sat up and straddled Daichi, and with a wink he yanked his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. Warm brown eyes stared back at him, absorbing the sight of him from the haphazard waves of black hair, his broad shoulders and chest, and down to his mile long torso rippling with lean muscle until his eyes fell upon his scar. It was not completely healed but looked slightly better than the last time he saw it. Daichi let his fingers graze over it, feeling the ripples of new pink skin around the tender crack in Kuroo’s side.

“I know...it’s sexy, right?” Kuroo asked as his wicked grin quirked up his cheek.

Daichi chuckled. “Oh yeah, I love a man with scars. It’s making me really hot.” He locked eyes with Kuroo and licked his lips. 

Kuroo groaned again and covered his face with his hands. “Shit, how did I get so lucky to be with you?”

“Tetsu...come here.” 

Kuroo peeked from between his fingers to see Daichi reaching up with his arms spread open. His hands slid away from his face and slowly he leaned back down, his right arm plowed into the bed to keep him stable as he swiped his thumb across Daichi’s cheek. As he came lower Daichi wrapped his arms around him and pulled him in tight. Their lips met tenderly with smiles lingering on their faces. Arms and legs became indiscernible of who they belonged to as they twisted together, their bodies rubbing together as their kisses began to heat up. 

Daichi gasped as he felt the bulge in Kuroo’s pants rub up against his own, the friction encouraging the blood to flow and make him even harder. They both moaned as Kuroo continued to rut against him, thrusting his hips up at a continuous tempo that eventually began to speed up. Daichi let his head fall back as he squeezed his eyes shut as ecstacy began to overthrow his reasoning, a whine slipping out when Kuroo grazed his teeth along his throat and began to suck. 

“Tetsu, I-ahhhh, I’m not sure I’ll last if we keep going at this rate,” He whispered breathlessly in the space between their lips.

“Mmm, I don’t think I will either. Here,” he said as he reached for his waistband and slipped it down to reveal his heavy leaking cock. Kuroo slipped his own pants down to release his and slid them up against each other. Daichi couldn’t tear his eyes away from the sight of them rubbing as Kuroo wrapped a long slender hand around them both and began to pump. 

“Oh God,” Daichi groaned as his senses spiraled out of control, his hands gripping into Kuroo’s back with such a force he knew there would be finger shaped bruises marring his skin by morning. Kuroo pressed his body in further against him and continued moving his hand up and down, the action becoming easier as they grew more slick. Daichi felt a typhoon of pressure building in his abdomen and surging straight up to his head. To help it along he wrapped his legs back around Kuroo’s waist to allow for a better angle and to assist in the rocking motion. Feeling Daichi’s feet hit his butt was enough to send Kuroo over the edge, spilling into his own hand and onto their stomachs. The vision of the wickedly handsome man tensing his face and lips parting as he released skyrocketed Daichi’s own as he too spilled into Kuroo’s hand and adding to the mess between them.

After they were completely spent, Kuroo fell limp and let his entire body weigh down on him. Daichi released an “oomph” at the extra weight and then chuckled.

“We’re a mess.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty gross, but that was...that was amazing.”

“Yeah, it really was. I think over there is a towel and a water basin we can use to wipe ourselves down with.”

Kuroo groaned and didn’t move a muscle. Daichi once again snuck his hand down the back of Kuroo’s pants and let his fingers graze the underside of his cheek. Kuroo shot up and leapt off the bed, the front of his chest and stomach bathed in white.

Daichi snorted, “Wow...that is really attractive.”

Kuroo looked down and chuckled. “Mmm, yeah. Just think, half of it is yours!” He walked over to the towel and water basin in question and dipped the corner of the towel in. Squeezing the excess out he wiped himself off thoroughly, redipped it, squeezed and brought it over to Daichi. He knelt on the bed next to him and gently wiped him down with the damp towel. Despite him being a grown man with a strength not many could match, his heart swelled seeing Kuroo treat him like a precious gift.

When he was completely wiped down, Kuroo rolled the towel up and tossed it across the room. He slipped the bedding from underneath Daichi and pulled it over him, sneaking in himself as he did so. Daichi reached his hands out and gently pulled him down and Kuroo happily snuggled into his arms, laying his face against his chest. His breathing slowed to match the rise and fall of the heated body beneath him, smiling as he felt fingers thread through his hair, grazing his scalp lightly.

“Sleep Tetsu,” Daichi whispered into the quiet of the room. “I’ll wake you up before morning so we can sneak you out, but for now rest.”

Kuroo squeezed his eyes shut and gripped on tighter to Daichi. Despite the amazing moment he just shared with the man he loved, he was still in turmoil over his friend being held in captivity with his life hanging in the balance. He inhaled Daichi’s scent and committed it to memory, knowing how fragile their circumstances were and at any moment everything could collapse like a house built from playing cards. He obeyed the command however and let sleep overtake him, safely enveloped Daichi’s strong arms.

Daichi remained awake for Kuroo’s sake, relishing in every passing minute of the night as he embraced him. He had been forbidden by Kuroo to get involved in releasing Yaku, but with the attempted jailbreak security would be even tighter than before. And while he had faith in Kuroo’s abilities, he didn’t want to take any chances of him being captured as well. A plan began to blossom as the early morning hours wore on, and at last he made a decision. He would never sacrifice the man he loved for anything, whether Kuroo knew about it or not.

The darkness of night could still be felt when Daichi finally roused Kuroo from his rest. He knew any light breaking the horizon would hinder any hope of escape, so reluctantly they slipped out of the warm bed and Kuroo fumbled with his clothes. They didn’t say anything, solemnly preparing for yet another unbearable parting. Once he was fully dressed he crossed the room where Daichi was staring out the window. He turned his face and stepped forward until he was pressed completely against Kuroo’s body. Their arms held each other tightly, Kuroo rubbing circles onto his back.

“You think we’d be getting used to this by now,” he said wryly.

“Hmph, it wouldn’t be so bad if we were certain we could see each other again. Please be careful, Tetsu. I couldn’t bear it if--”

“Hey, hey, hey, easy Love,” he shushed, his hands slipping up to his face and tilting it upward, kissing him gently on his lips and at various points of his face. “I’ll be careful, they won’t catch me.” Daichi wished he could believe him, but the scar across Kuroo’s side was proof that he wasn’t untouchable. 

Finally they shared one last kiss and opened the window. Kuroo poked his head and surveyed the situation. He looked down along the wall to see how far to the ground he was, and then along the sides and above him. With a nod he leapt into the window with his legs dangling out. He turned his head and gave Daichi a quick wink and a smooch sound from his lips and disappeared. Fear gripped Daichi and he leaned out the window to see Kuroo had landed lightly onto the balcony below and was already swinging off of it to a narrow ledge below it, making quick and silent progress down the side of the castle.  His eyes did not leave the agile shadow until his feet hit the ground without a sound, and slipped into the darkness below and fading from his sight.

With a heavy sigh he closed the window. He walked back to the empty bed and slid in, still warm from their bodies but lonely without Kuroo’s presence. After a few deep breaths Daichi willed himself to get a little sleep. The next day required a lot of scheming and cooperation from his friends, and he would need his wits about him to secure the safety of Kuroo, his band of cats and that of his own friends of Karasuno.

 

The next day everything was in an uproar. The Nohebi knights were smug about being proven right that Yaku was in fact on of Kuroo’s cohorts, and they were obnoxiously vocal about trying to dig information out of him through any means necessary. The Shiratorizawa Knights were exhausted and tense from their night long search for Kuroo and turning up nothing, and were in no mood for the taunts from the other group. Thankfully they opposed the use of torture methods to get information out of Yaku, but still questioned him at length. Semi took his time studying him from behind the steel bars while Ohira and Yamagata asked him probing questions about his friends. He immediately noticed his swelled cheeks and the redness under his eyes from crying all night, and he was unrelentingly curious about what sort of person this smaller man was. Yaku refused to answer any questions, but remained still in his solemnity and turned down the opportunity to be disloyal to his friends for a possibly lighter sentence. Ohira and Yamagata turned to Semi and shrugged. 

“It’s no use,” Semi said, “He won’t tell us anything. You might as well go back to your duties, and maybe get some rest. I doubt that was the last attempted jailbreak we’ll have. He spotted a wince flash across Yaku’s face, but it was gone the next moment. He allowed his companions to leave, but couldn’t resist remaining for a few more minutes. Leaning against the bars he observed Yaku, who stared back without any emotion. It was eerie how Yaku’s brown eyes looked dead though they seemed as if they were meant to be bright and lively, like a flower fallen from its stem, faded and brittle.

“Why be a thief?” Semi asked, not really believing he’d receive an answer. “You may be small, but you look bright and able bodied. You took on that knight after all, so why steal for a living?”

Yaku’s eyes narrowed when he mentioned his size, but rolled them as Semi continued. “I don’t make a living off of being a thief, and I wasn’t always one. We were all orphans, and as children we knew nothing else but stealing to live. Then D- someone took a chance on us, found us workers in the city who would take us on as apprentices and such, and for a time we were happy, safe and fed and worked hard for our money just like everyone else. Then the King went to war and left that bastard in charge, and we had to do something to help the common people of the Kingdom.”

Semi cringed with anger at the Prince being referred to in such a way. “Watch your tongue. I may not condone torturing you or hanging you, but I won’t hesitate to put you in your place if you insult His Majesty again.”

Yaku huffed out a sad laugh and shook his head. “I always believed you to be intelligent and discerning, approaching things with an open mind. But I guess your old friendship with the Prince has clouded your judgement. You don’t even know what it’s like out there, what he’s hiding from you and the Royal Guard. People are being harassed by the Nohebi Guards and having every cent taken from them. They’re being beaten and starved and it’s all because of that snake Daishou and  _ His Majesty _ . Open your eyes, Sir Semi, or you can continue living in your safe little cocoon while the Prince bleeds the Kingdom dry.”

Semi clenched his jaw as pathetic retorts rolled around in his head, but his mouth remained dry as his stomach clenched tight. This information, true or false, felt too familiar to be completely fabricated. He thought back to some previous conversations with Master Dacihi and some pieces of a complicated puzzle were beginning to appear, and he really despised the picture it formed. Little clues he had not even dwelled on began to appear like a puff of smoke. Year after year the Prince had pulled the entire remaining Shiratorizawa Knights back into the city, giving them tasks only within their great stone walls. Their tasks were given away to the Nohebi Knights instead, who were as two faced as a knight could be. The Prince had stopped confiding in him completely when they used to share the deepest caverns of their hearts to each other in the chilly tent they shared during training camps in their youth. Everything they had once shared had completely dissipated and was replaced with snide comments and evasions. This prisoner, a thief he had once believed was terrorizing citizens, had completely demolished the walls he had built to shut out any thought of disloyalty. He was completely unnerved, particularly when Yaku began to nod.

“It makes sense for once, doesn’t it? Listen, I understand how hard it can be to turn a back on an old friend, so please just promise me you won’t turn your back on the truth. And...can you do me a favor?”

Semi, despite the fluctuating emotions warring inside him, gave Yaku the decency to nod and listen. 

Yaku took a breath and continued, tears coagulating in the corners of his eyes and glistening in the dim torchlight. “If my friends do try to get me out, please don’t be too hard on them. Particularly a really tall one with silver hair who looks like an idiot.” He laughed out a sob as he wiped his face on his sleeve. “Think what you like about us, but do  _ not _ make the mistake of thinking we don’t understand loyalty as well as you do.” With that Yaku turned and shuffled into the farthest corner, dropping his head into his arms and releasing another sob. 

Semi’s heart broke slightly at the gentle sound, the familiarity of the emotion washing over him like a cold memory he wished was forgotten. With a deep breath he gave Yaku his privacy, stepping up the winding staircase and feeling dizzy as his whole world shifted uncomfortably. He tried to follow his own advice to his friends and have a quick rest before night fell, but he spent the time laying alone in his small, cold bed as his mind turned over and over with not a hope of clarity in sight.

 

The Prince decreed that Yaku would be hung in town square as soon as dawn breaks the next day. The announcement to the City did not have the result the Prince had hoped. The thieves had never stolen from any of them, and with the flood of rumors traveling quickly through town, the common people firmly believed that Kuroo’s band was only out to steal from the rich only to help those in need. Many people protested in town square as Nohebi Knights erected the hangman’s noose, throwing rotten fruit and vegetables at them as they worked. 

The protests and distractions, as well as the knights being exhausted from their nightlong search, left Daichi slightly relieved as he was able to move about freely with his men as they made their own preparations. Even the Royal Guard paid them no mind as they scurried about and took turns resting for the night ahead. As darkness began to fall, scores of knights roamed the castle with focused intensity. Everyone was on edge as eyes flicked to every dark corner,  every drape pushed aside and every door periodically opened to check for any hiding thieves. The dungeon alone was filled to the brim with Nohebi Knights, their hands on their sword hilts as if Kuroo could pop out of thin air (Most of them actually believed he could). 

The Knights of Karasuno were unnaturally quiet, wandering about in groups of two, mirroring the actions of the other groups of knights. When they confirmed no one was looking, they would make some slight “adjustments” to prepare for what Daichi had planned. He checked in with them periodically with whispers and nods, and he kept himself busy to distract from the nervousness from what he was about to attempt.

The night wore on and there was still no sign of Kuroo or his band. It was close to four in the morning when the Knights from Nohebi and Shiratorizawa began to get restless and tired. Grumblings echoed throughout, saying that Kuroo abandoned his friend, that a bunch of thieves wouldn’t risk their neck for each other, so why couldn’t they take a break or go to sleep. The senior knights barked at their subordinates to withdraw that kind of talk, but even they were growing weary with waiting, the stress taking a toll on their bodies and minds. 

Yaku remained sitting in his cell as he watched the Nohebi guards slacken their stance and chat amongst themselves to stave them from boredom. He had released himself from his sorrow and pushed away his tumultuous thoughts. Whether he died when morning came or experienced a divine intervention, he would accept his fate without any more tears. 

A feeling however began to creep up his spine. He looked about the dungeon and saw nothing out of the ordinary, but his sixth sense warned him something was about to happen. He did not stir an inch but simply watched, not wanting to alert the guards in any way. It was subtle at first, but soon it was apparent that the air room was growing thick with a pinkish haze. Yaku subtly tucked his head down, sneaking his shirt up so it covered his nose and mouth, breathing deeply the untainted air to prepare for holding it a while once it was time. As soon as the knights began to notice, their bodies grew heavy and they wobbled in place, their minds not able to piece two thoughts together. Yaku flattened his body on the ground where the smoke had not reached and continued to breathe in the safety of his shirt. Soon he could hardly see anything as the smoke filled the room, but a clink of metal where he knew the lock was located alerted him to a shadowy presence in the smoke. The bars keeping him captive rolled open with a clang and two hands grasped his own and yanked him forward, and in the blink of an eye the heavy handcuffs fell away from his wrists. 

In his ear he heard a sly voice, “Second time’s the charm, eh Yaku?”

He snorted, “We’re not out yet, idiot.” 

Instead of Kuroo answering his retort Yaku felt a thick scarf wrap around his head to protect his face, and as soon as it was secure a hand was lifting him up to his feet and up the winding stairs. His legs felt like rubber as he tried to keep up, but he wasn’t about to let anything come between him and freedom. As soon as they reached the top of the stairs, he realized that Kuroo must have used every single smoke bomb they had ever made to fill the entire space outside the dungeon door with the thick haze. He could just hear shouts of alarm and bodies slamming into each other as the clumsy knights bustled about only to pass out from breathing in the smoke. He almost wished he could see it happening for a laugh, but he had more important things on his mind. Kuroo continued to lead him straight through where he could hear swords clanging together as a battle raged on. They emerged from the edge of the smoke to a space with different hallways leading from it, and in the middle were several Nohebi Knights going head to head with his friends. Kai’s typical demeanor of amicability was demolished by a gritty determination as he swung his sword from side to side, his athleticism easily able to defeat the knight he was faced off with. Inuoka and Shibayama were off to the right side setting traps along the hallway, swiveling their heads around to make sure they were not needed as backup. Kenma and Fukunaga stood off to the left with a bow taught in each of their hands in case any soldiers came down the corridor in front of them. Yamamoto’s sword whirled around as he bellowed out insults even faster than he could fight, letting his pent up anger flow through his body as if it was keeping him alive instead of his blood. In the center though was Lev. He did not bother coming in his cloak like Yaku always tells him to. His lanky figure was covered in head to toe black, a giant broadsword grasped in his hands as he swung it around with ease and deadly precision. His green eyes were sharp like daggers, his mouth clenched in fury as opposed to the friendly grin typically pasted on his face. His long body flowed with a grace and energy Yaku did not know he had, and he was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. 

“I got him, let’s go!” Kuroo yelled over the clamor, and Inuoka and Shibayama leapt to their feet and rolled two balls sputtering with sparks down another hallway where three knights were running toward them. Kuroo assisted Kai and Yamamoto in taking their opponents out, but didn’t bother with Lev as the knight he had been fighting fell to the ground to join the heap of unconscious bodies he had already thrown down. Yaku was almost alarmed when those eyes blazing with a green fire found him amongst the chaos, but as soon as they did they softened slightly and Lev’s face lifted.

“Yaku-san!”

“Come on, idiot!” he said as he gripped onto Lev’s sleeve to yank him along with the group already flying down the corridor to their left. The entrance at the end they knew led to the gardens, where hopefully they would be able to get through to the safety of the forest. They heard distant pops of small explosions and cries of pain behind them as their traps previously set bought them a little more time from being followed.

“How many smoke bombs left?!” Kuroo yelled back.

“Just one!” cried Shibayama.

“Shit...well don’t use it til I tell you! It could be life or death at this point.” 

They flew out the door leading to the gardens. The path was clear as they descended the moss covered staircase and into a clearing surrounded by thorny rose bushes. They could just see the mighty oak in front of them, the gate to the forest just beside it when all of a sudden they stopped. Right in their path stood Semi Eita, his sword drawn in front of him. Their heads whirled as they saw every member of the Royal Guard surrounding them.

The Cats naturally formed a circle facing out with their weapons drawn, except Yaku who had no weapon and was shoved into the middle by Lev, his fierce expression back on his face as he gripped his broadsword in front of him. Shibayama trembled with his knife in his right hand, his left behind his back gripping their last smoke bomb.

“Stand down, Kuroo,” Semi shouted, “If you do, we will make sure your friends won’t be harmed.”

“Ha! That’s hilarious...like Yaku was gonna be  _ unharmed _ ?” Kuroo snarled, his hand gripping his slender sword even tighter. “Won’t you even admit  _ now _ that you Royal Guardians have no power except what the Prince commands of you. A Prince who’s starving his people!” 

The Knights surrounding them blinked at such a statement, but Kuroo noticed that Semi didn’t falter, but instead a slight look of regret flashed across his face. 

“What proof do you have of that?” Semi asked, keeping his voice even but not dropping his sword.

“Proof? Just walk a few feet outside of your precious city! You’re holed up here and remain ignorant to the plight of the Kingdom, feeding off any scraps that bastard of a Prince will give you!”

Semi locked eyes with Ohira, who was frowning at the accusations. He could see his friend was dealing with the possible truth on his own, though they had never discussed their worries about the Prince to each other. His eyes flickered back to Kuroo.

“Perhaps we will look into these allegations, but we still cannot let you go free. To do so would be an open act of rebellion, and there is no one in the Kingdom more loyal than the Royal Guard!”

The Knights yelled out an affirming cheer, regripping their swords as they edged in a bit closer.

Kuroo growled as he shifted his weight, ready to spring into action if he needed. “We wouldn’t even last a day in your jail cells. No trial, no investigation. Your Prince will hang us the second he has us, so we’ll just take our chances, thank you.”

“So be it,” Semi replied grimly and was just about to step forward when an arrow whizzed by his head and struck the ground between him and Kuroo. He whirled around to see Daichi under the great Oak tree dressed in full gleaming armor, an ink black crow etched across his chest and an elegant bow drawn in his hands, pointed directly at Semi. 

“Master Daichi?! What the hell are you doing?”

“Yeah, what the hell  _ are _ you doing?!” Yelled Kuroo behind him, his voice even more furious than before.

Daichi’s jaw was set as he stepped forward, the bow not dropping an inch. His face was stern and sad as he faced Semi.

“I’m sorry, Sir Semi, but I cannot let you take Kuroo or his friends. I will not let the Prince get his hands on them.”

“Why would you care? What are they to you?”

Daichi paused as he considered his answer. “The only money they’ve ever stolen was from the Prince and Daishou. The taxes they were collecting were being held at the Mausoleum so you and the Shiratorizawa Knights would know nothing of it.” 

Semi was taken back by this information, but behind him he could hear Shirabu’s irritated voice. “You didn’t answer his question! Why are you protecting thieves?”

“I’ve known them since my childhood when we became friends. I know they’d never hurt anyone who didn’t deserve it, and they’d never steal from the common folk. It’s true what he said, you’re the ones that have been lied to. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you before, but I couldn’t risk  you telling the Prince, and then I would have been thrown in a jail cell too.”

The atmosphere dwelling in the garden was like a rubber band stretched tight as silence fell. The Knights of the Royal Guard had always respected Daichi, almost like he was one of their own. To hear these accusations from him held even more weight than the thieves in front of them. Then a voice creeped down from a balcony above them.

“My, my, what is this? Sir Semi, have you and your knights completely left your senses? Here you have the cats surrounded and have yet to arrest any of them.”

They all looked up to find the Prince staring down at them, his eyes glinting dangerously as he gazed at the scene below. 

“But, your Majesty, Master Daichi was--”

“What happens, Sir Semi, when anyone in the Kingdom deliberately disobeys the Crown? They are labeled a traitor and will be forced to deal with justice. My  _ nephew _ has just declared himself a rebel, therefore I  _ command _ you to arrest him with his fellow thieves.”

As he spoke the word ‘command’, the rubber band snapped. The Royal Guard turned on the cats with their swords in the air. Instead of facing off with Kuroo, Semi had no choice but to engage Daichi, who had released his drawn arrow into the battle, glinting off of Goshiki’s sword and knocking it from his hand temporarily. He tossed the bow aside and drew a sword from behind him. Semi never got the chance to spar with him before, but he quickly wished that he had. Daichi had no flashy moves or feats of elaborate athleticism, but was steady and strong and matched every blow he gave with ease. He felt like he was betraying a brother in arms as they fought, and glancing at Daichi’s face told him he felt the same. Their mutual respect for each other was being trampled under their unwavering loyalty from opposing realms. In the distance they heard more approaching soldiers, and Semi took the opportunity to talk some sense into his opponent.

“You’re about to be overtaken! Please stand down, or we’ll have no choice but to take you out. Don’t make me do this, Master Daichi!”

Daichi gritted his teeth but did not reply, concentrating on meeting Semi’s sword with his own. At that moment a blazing light erupted in the distance with an eerie roar. The soldiers that had been coming their way shouted in alarm and changed direction toward a massive fire seen above the trees of the garden. The sight caused the fight to slow down slightly, as everyone tried to get a glimpse of what was going on.

“What is that?!” Semi cried as he simultaneously tried to look over the trees and defend against Daichi’s unwavering hits.

“Oh, that would be the stables. They’re on fire,” Daichi replied calmly as his concentration did not waver.

Another commotion could be heard in the far distance on the other side of the castle, and Semi realized that they were entirely on their own. Even with his inner turmoil wavering between loyalty to the Prince and his desire to know the actual truth, he was determined not to fail in this fight. 

The rest of the knights felt the same as they continued engaging the Cats. Ohira whirled his sword against Kai, who was beginning to show signs of exhaustion from his earlier fights. Goshiki was yelling into the night air as he sliced back and forth between Inuoka and Shibayama with their quick lunging knives. Yaku had spotted a knife in Lev’s belt and snuck it out while Lev swung his sword against Yamagata’s. From within the chaotic battle, Kenma quickly released his arrows, most of them glinting off armor as he tried to aim for joints where he could sneak one in. He had just pulled a slender arrow from his quiver when he was kicked down to the ground, his bow clattering on the ground away from him. He stared up to find Shirabu hovering above him, his metallic boot pinning him down to the ground. Kenma’s large golden eyes gazed up at him in fear, his heartbeat pounding in his ears as he watched the other man’s face twist with regret and determination. He raised his sword in front of him with the blade pointing down right above Kenma’s chest. 

With a deep shuddering breath and tears forming in the corners of his eyes, Shirabu whispered, “For the Crown…” and plunged his sword straight down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeeeah I'm really sorry about that cliffhanger...


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kenma's about to be stabbed! Will the Cats make it out alive? I don't know, but the last chapter ended in such a scary way that I'll end this chapter with more smut for your enjoyment. Enjoy it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *NSFW Warning at the very end!!*

As Shirabu whispered, “For the Crown”, Kenma had shut his eyes to prepare for the pain that would lead to his death. He heard the sword drop and land with a thunk, but he felt no pain. Perhaps it would take a moment. ...Still no pain. He cracked his eyes open to see Shirabu shocked frozen as his sword was stuck on a wooden shield above Kenma’s chest, piercing a bold silhouette of a crow in flight. Kenma turned his head at a swift movement next to him and saw a small knight with bright orange hair dig his hands in the ground and lift his feet into the air. His foot connected harshly to Shirabu’s dropped jaw and he fell backwards and out of sight. The agile knight flipped back onto his feet with barely a sound, though he was in full armor. Kenma stared at him, still not comprehending what had happened, as the knight turned and leaned over him. His expressive face looked concerned over him, and after removing the shield from on top of Kenma he offered him a hand up.

“Are you okay?!” he cried as Kenma accepted the hand and pulled him to his feet. Once standing Kenma saw he was actually slightly taller, but from the knight’s prowess and energy he felt an intriguing awe of him.

“Yes, I think I am.”

“Great!” The knight said with a giant grin, igniting his face like it was made of sunbeams. Kenma was stunned once again, but he had little time to process when the knight shoved him back in the circle and whirled around to fight another opponent. It was then that Kenma realized that each of the Karasuno Knights had joined the fight in their favor, and eventually each knight of the Royal Guard fell to the ground in defeat. 

Daichi bellowed out “Let’s go! This way!” and without hesitation the Knights of Karasuno and Kuroo’s band of Cats ran after him to the Oak, the gate beside it already swung open to the forest. 

Just outside the gate was Suga, Narita and Kinoshita with a whole group of horses stolen from the stable before it was set ablaze. After slamming the gate shut behind them, the knights each grabbed a horse and swung up in the saddle. Daichi hopped up onto Nightwing and held a hand down to Kuroo, who grabbed it and flew up onto the horse’s back behind him. The rest of the knights offered a hand to one of the cats to double up on the horses. Kenma felt almost lost amid the tall horses and flurry of activity when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see his orange haired knight smiling down at him with his hand extended.

“Ride with me?” He asked, and Kenma gave him a small smile as he grabbed his hand and hopped up into the saddle behind him.

Yaku had no choice of horse because he was snatched by Lev, who grabbed an extra horse for himself. As soon as they were all mounted they sprang into the woods, Daichi leading the way down the winding paths shrouded by dark, twisted trees. Kuroo pressed his body as close as he could against the hard metal of Daichi’s armor, his arms wound tight around his waist. He had not been on a horse since he was eleven, and then it was only because Daichi asked if he wanted to try it with him and it was a chance to sit real close to his crush. Back then his butt was sore for days, and he cringed in his present moment as they galloped through the forest at breakneck speed, knowing he’ll be sore for much longer when he finally gets down from the horse.

After an hour of riding like hell and switching paths whenever they came to a cross roads, Daichi began to slow and called out a command to his followers to halt. They had arrived to a small clearing with several options for paths. All the knights circled their horses as Daichi spoke.

“Ok, this path here will take us out of the woods straight to Dateko. I don’t know how close our pursuers are, so we’ll have to hurry but it is the straightest path. The other option is to split up here and try to at least break up any groups of knights following. Suggestions?”

“Yeah,” said Kuroo as he slipped away from him and off the horse, struggling a bit once his feet were on the ground. “You knights can go on ahead to Dateko taking the quick path. We can back track a bit and mess up the tracks and make some false ones. Then we can go to our hideout and wait for things to clear up then meet you there.”

“Like hell I’m letting you do that!” Daichi yelled. “You all almost died back there, and you want us to leave you behind?!”

Kuroo shrugged as his friends slipped off their horses as well, convinced of the best course of action. “They’ll never catch us in the woods, and you  _ know _ they’ll never find our secret hideout. This way you get safely away and they won’t pursue you.” Kuroo felt a pain in his chest with the look on Daichi’s face. He could see his chestplate rising and falling with his deep breaths, and his hand reached out toward him to pull him back to the horse. 

“Please, Tetsu, come with me.”

Kuroo walked back to him, taking his hand but did not make a move to jump back on the horse. Instead he pressed his body against Daichi’s leg, his other hand stretched up toward Daichi’s face. Daichi leaned down into Kuroo’s hand and then even further so they could reach each other’s lips. 

“Called it,” muttered Tsukishima.

“Damn it, I need to stop betting,” griped Tanaka. 

“Hey! Why do they get to kiss in front of everybody when we always get yelled at? Asahi, get over here!” Nishinoya yelled. 

Daichi sighed as they finally parted, Kuroo’s smirk already on his face. “Get out of here. I’ll meet you in Dateko in a few days.  _ I promise. _ ”

“You better,” Daichi warned sternly.

Kuroo winked and kissed the air toward him as he backed off toward another path, a few of the cats already disappearing into the trees. “Love you!” He yelled as he turned and began to sprint away.

“I love you too!” Daichi called after him, his voice echoing throughout the trees. He winced as he saw Kuroo’s shape fade in the darkness, but a hand on his arm startled him. Suga had walked his horse up to him, his kind face concerned but serious.

“I know it’s hard, but we have to get moving.”

“Yeah...you’re right. Let’s go!”

He swung Nightwing around and took off down the path out of the forest. When they emerged from the trees, the sun was just cresting over the hill, spreading its golden beams across the waves of browning grass. There was no one around, though they were still close enough to the City to hear the distant uproar and alarm bells chiming across the wind. Without hesitation they continued their fast pace along the smoother road.

Suga sped up so he was neck and neck with Daichi. 

“Did you bring my little buddy?” Daichi asked, loud enough to be heard over the sound of the thundering hooves.

Suga smirked as his eyes shifted over to him. “He’s nestled in my saddlebag. I made him a little cocoon out of one of your shirts and fed him a ton of milk, so with luck he’ll sleep the whole way.”

Daichi smiled, “Thanks, Suga. Yah!!” He urged Nightwing even faster, putting as many miles as he could between them and The Prince’s men.

 

As soon as the knights had left them, the Cats spread out in groups of two or three. They did not need spoken instructions, they knew what to do and acted instinctually. Yamamoto took Inuoka and Shibayama directly to their hideout and situated themselves at various points close the entrance of the tunnel, high in the trees. They stretched their bodies along the swaying branches, their hoods covering their heads as they made themselves inconspicuous. Their duty was to guard the entrance and send out a warning to their friends should any of the knights get too close to the hideout.

Kenma and Fukunaga paired up, as well as Lev and Yaku. They traveled back down the path they came to cover the hoofprints, and eventually the pairs split to make false tracks down different paths. 

Kai and Kuroo backtracked a ways as well, though going a bit further and careful not to create new tracks. They slipped vials of liquids and jars of powder from inside their cloaks. Kuroo plugged his nose and uncorked one red vial. He sprinkled it liberally across the path, careful not to get any of the pungent liquid on him, and then threw the bottle further into the bushes. There he and Kai split up to travel off path sprinkling various liquids and powders haphazardly throughout the forest. As each of them traveled, quick traps were set to throw the soldiers even further into chaos. Kuroo was rigging his final one when he heard distant barking and felt the ground vibrate under the thunder of horse hooves. He stood up and cupped his hands around his mouth and let out a perfect impression of a mourning dove cooing from her tree. Answered calls echoed in the forest, turning from inky shadows to pale gray and muted tones as the sun began to peek through the trees. 

They scrambled once more throughout the trees without a sound to be heard or a single leaf shifted. The sun began to pierce through the trees as each of them arrived, slipping into their tunnel. When the last of their friends arrived and disappeared, Yamamoto gave the signal for Shibayama and Inuoka to follow. He bounded from limb to limb with precision, and when his feet hit the ground he spun a clear wire around a trunk low to the ground and stretched it until it was completely surrounding the entrance. With one last check around for any missed tracks or dropped items, he disappeared into the wall of rock, the rest of his line gripped in his palm. He continued pulling it until he was past the ivy curtain and emerged out the other side. His alarm was already rigged up to warn him if anyone is close to the entrance. He tied his line to the end of the bare sapling, trinkets strung all over it. Should anyone trip his wire the trinkets would release a series of jingles and they would immediately be put on alert.

Within the safe confines of their valley, the cats all took a much needed breath. Each of them took a moment to embrace Yaku, throwing their arms around him with relieved laughs. Tears leaked out of his eyes as he ruffled his kouhai’s hair and gave Yamamoto a rough pat on the back. He was nearly smothered by Kuroo, who draped his entire weight over him in a ridiculous hug.

“Ooooh Yaku I was so worried about you.” 

“You wouldn’t have if you had planned your first jailbreak right, you idiot!” 

Kuroo just chuckled and finally released the feisty man so he could breathe. After all the hugs and hair ruffles had dissipated, Yaku looked around, noticing one person not present in the crowd around him. He spotted Lev standing a few feet back, silent and still with his lips pursed tightly. His long slender hands were fiddling in front of him as he shifted slightly from side to side. Kuroo placed a hand on Yaku’s shoulder from behind him and leaned down just beside his ear.

“I think you two deserve some alone time. We had to literally tie him up to keep him from coming after you himself, and me and Yamamoto earned a punch to our gut each once we finally released him.” 

Yaku bit his lip and nodded. They let him pass through toward Lev, and without saying a word he grabbed his hand and led him away from the group. The meadow stretched a good ways, and each of them had their own spot where they liked to be by themselves. Yaku had an area that was cleverly hidden away where the cliffside curved around and nearly hit a whole other wall jutting out the other direction. By flattening himself against the wall Yaku could slide through a slim opening and find himself in a completely private cove. It was only about ten feet in diameter, but it was plenty big enough for Yaku to stretch out on the soft mossy floor and curl up for a private nap. As he pulled Lev along behind him, however, it wasn’t a nap he had on his mind.

Lev’s green eyes widened as they entered Yaku’s sanctum, his face swiveling around as he soaked in every detail. 

“Wow, Yaku-san, this place is amazing!”

“Thanks…” Yaku answered quietly, nervousness fluttering around his stomach. Lev picked up on the change of mood and turned around, his face exuding panicked concern.

“Are you okay, Yaku-san?! I was so worried about you, I couldn’t sleep or eat, or even think right because there was nothing I could do!” Lev cried, stretching his long arms out to pull Yaku as close to him as possible. His arms and hands completely dwarfed the slender body, and Yaku relished in the warmth poured over him as he nuzzled into Lev’s chest. He wrapped his own arms as far around Lev’s long waist as he could, not allowing any air to separate them. With a deep inhale Lev’s scent burst through his nose, filling Yaku’s brain with Lev. He wanted every part of him to be filled with the ridiculous person holding him, who filled his life with frustration and happiness. 

Yaku slid his face up so his chin was propped against Lev’s chest and pointed his warm chocolate eyes straight into Lev’s emerald ones.

“Lev...I thought I was gonna die,” He sobbed, not able to contain his emotions any longer. Lev winced as he saw glistening tears form in the corners of Yaku’s eyes, one breaking free and sliding down his swelled up cheek. The sight of the bruise filled his chest with rage, but that wasn’t what Yaku needed at that moment. He took a deep breath to calm his mind and slid his hands up Yaku’s back and cupped his face. His long thumb swiped carefully across the bruise, wiping the tear streak away. Slowly he leaned down, turning Yaku’s face slightly and pressed his lips against the swelled cheek. After three gentle kisses he moved across his face, his lips caressing Yaku’s nose and across his eyebrow, down against his fragile eyelid. 

“ _ Lev _ ,” Yaku whispered, his breath tickling his neck. Lev’s lips parted with a breath as he ghosted down Yaku’s face. Arms draped around his neck as Yaku pulled him closer, meeting his lips with a deep inhale. A slight whine escaped through Yaku’s lips, overwhelmed with the heat he had craved for so long. Lev evidently felt the same way, gripping his body hard as he held Yaku as close as he could. Their inexperienced lips moved over each other as they tested out the different sensations, proving to be so clumsy they erupted in giggles.

“This is amazing!” Lev whispered excitedly as they wiped their spit covered mouths on their sleeves.

Yaku laughed softly and looked around the clearing. He turned back to lock eyes with Lev, the glint in his eye sending shivers through Lev’s veins. 

“It is,” Yaku agreed, holding his hand and pulling him in further and then stopping him. He gripped Lev’s arms and turned him so he was facing the other direction. Once Yaku was satisfied with his position he shoved Lev down on his butt, landing on a gentle slope of moss. Lev stared back up at Yaku in shock, who hovered in front of him with a smirk on his face. Then Yaku’s fingers slowly untied the knot in front of his neck and let his cloak slide off his shoulders. Then his fingertips began to thread its way down his tunic, loosening it up. Lev’s mouth was completely dry as he watched Yaku undress himself, his pants becoming increasingly tighter. He gasped when with heavy lidded eyes Yaku pulled his shirt up over his head, revealing his pale torso. He was slender as Lev always imagined, but his chest and abdomen had the tight formation of muscles beneath the skin with flecks of old scars scattered across it. He saw Yaku bite his lip as he faltered in his confidence. It shook him from his stupor, and he reached out and grabbed Yaku’s hands. He brought them to his lips, whispering across them as he said, “Yaku-san...you’re so beautiful.” Even if he mainly said it to relieve Yaku from his nervousness, he was overwhelmed with the truth of it, feeling his cheeks grow hot at the admission. When he felt Yaku’s fingers thread through his hair, he looked up to see Yaku’s face full of tender happiness smiling down at him.

“I don’t think  _ I’m  _ the beautiful one here, Lev. Every bit of you is perfect, I can hardly stand it. So often I feel like I don’t deserve you.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Lev said, closing his eyes as he nestled his head against Yaku’s stroking fingers. “I feel the same way, you know.” He opened his eyes again when he heard him chuckle in response.

“Let’s just call it even,” Yaku whispered as he leaned in, straddling Lev’s lap and easing into his arms as they fell into a deep kiss. 

A surge of excitement began to bubble in Lev. Yaku was in his lap and half naked, and just the thought alone was enough for the bulge in his pants to grow bigger. As if sensing it, Yaku slid his pelvis down, rubbing against it enough to incite an almost growling moan from Lev’s chest. He gripped onto Yaku’s body like he was about to shove him to the ground and pin him there when Yaku’s hands pushed him back, breaking their kiss.

“No, no,” he said with a smirk. “We’re gonna stay like this, the  _ whole _ time.” He licked his lips and leaned down. His hands gripped the bottom of Lev’s black shirt and yanked it up over his head. Lev could hardly breathe as he watched Yaku’s eyes rove over him, his chest heaving up and down. His fingers softly fell on his shoulders and flowed down like a wayward stream, curving around his muscles and tripping over his ribs and abdomen. Lev shivered at the light touch and leaned back in to steal Yaku’s lips with his own. The smaller man easily relented, bringing his hands back up and circling his arms around Lev’s neck. He continued the the friction building movement, rubbing up and down against Lev as they indulged in the delectable sensations. Lev’s hands traveled up and down Yaku’s toned back til they teetered just above his pants. Feeling bold he slipped his thumbs at the waistband and slipped them down about an inch while the rest of his impressive hand width massaged the rest of his bottom. Yaku gasped at the bit of cool air snaking across the sensitive area and the feeling of Lev’s thumbs grazing across it. His eyes were like fire when they locked onto Lev’s.

“Keep going,” he whispered, and Lev was more than happy to comply. He slipped Yaku’s pants and underwear with it completely down to his knees. Putting more weight on Lev’s shoulders, Yaku gave a couple hops so Lev could yank them off the rest of the way along with his boots. Lev found himself face to face with Yaku’s stiffening member as he stood in front of him, regaining his footing. Without hesitation Lev wrapped his hands around Yaku’s waist and pulled him in, peppering kisses around Yaku’s stomach and then lower, skirting around his more sensitive areas. Yaku gasped in surprise as he shoved his fingers into Lev’s silvery hair. He gripped on for dear life as Lev’s lips grazed across his skin til they met with his prize. His tongue snaked out and wrapped around him, giving himself a taste all the way up Yaku’s shaft and curling around the head. He gave a moan as the taste of precum entered his mouth. His eyes flicked up to Yaku’s face, and found him breathing heavily with his eyes shut tight, a red flush flooding his cheeks and traveling down his neck and chest. With a grin Lev wrapped his lips around the head and moved forward, completely enveloping Yaku in his mouth. He heard Yaku cry out in pleasure above him, and he hummed back in appreciation, sending vibrations through his mouth.

“ _ Lev _ ,” Yaku breathed, reaching a hand down and removing one of Lev’s hands from behind him. Green eyes flickered up to see Yaku kiss his palm and then work his way up his index finger. He would have never believed such a thing would be so sexy, but he almost stopped moving his mouth over Yaku as his finger disappeared past those wet, pink lips. Yaku moaned as he sucked, mimicking Lev’s tongue as he wrapped it around the single digit. Lev nearly lost his mind as he tried to concentrate, but he found a slight reprieve when Yaku released his soaking wet finger with a pop.

“Think you can do two things at once?” Yaku asked slyly as he brought Lev’s hand back behind him. He singled out his wet finger and slid it down the space between his cheeks, settling onto his entrance. 

Lev’s eyes bugged out when he realized what Yaku wanted him to do, but once the idea settled in he pulled back from Yaku just enough to give him a smirk and say, “I’ll do my best, Yaku-san.”

He was entirely inexperienced with this sort of thing, but he had a basic idea of what to do. When he first began to fall in love with Yaku over a year ago, he made the mistake of asking Kuroo how two men have sex. He respected Kuroo as a bold leader and his inhuman cleverness with his endeavors, but his insatiable joy of teasing his kouhai sent Kuroo flat on his back in a fit of braying laughter. Luckily his pride was rescued by Kai who happened to be present and pulled him away from their obnoxious boss. Kai had never been attracted to men himself, but he knew enough of the process that he was able to give Lev a basic rundown and wished him luck with his future, adding a low mutter that he’d need it.

Recalling the listed steps, Lev took his time slipping his finger through Yaku’s entrance. He gently worked him open, and every time Yaku restarted his moans of pleasure he would work in another finger as he prepared Yaku to receive something much larger. 

Sweat began to slip down his face and he pleasured Yaku from both ends, the concentration required exhausting Lev’s brain but he kept at it. He believed Yaku deserved the most spoiling he could give him after his lonely two nights in the hellish dungeon. He allowed his fingers to further explore as he continued to pump his mouth along Yaku’s leaking cock. Suddenly Yaku stiffened and gasped. Lev pulled off of him and looked up at him urgently.

“Did I hurt you, Yaku-san?!”

“No! God no...whatever you just hit in there... _ please _ do it again.”

Lev vaguely remembered the spot he had grazed his fingertips over and remembered something Kai had mentioned about a super sensitive area inside. With a quick lick of his lips he enveloped Yaku once more in his mouth and curled his fingers inside of him to search out the elusive area. He was rewarded with Yaku bending over him, raking his fingernails up his back as he groaned. Pumping his fingers while occasionally massaging the spot, he picked up the pace as he moved his head back and forth over Yaku. He could see and feel Yaku’s entire body trembling as he held on, his breathing becoming erratic and his moans becoming more frequent and higher pitched. Then like a bursting volcano Yaku cried out and emptied himself into Lev’s mouth. Lev nearly choked in surprise, but he didn’t remove himself as he continued to drink up everything Yaku gave him. When he knew he was empty he pulled back, and with a lick of his lips he met Yaku’s burning eyes. 

“You didn’t have to do that,” Yaku said tenderly, bringing his thumb to Lev’s mouth and wiping it clean.

“I wanted to, though. I’d do anything for you, Yaku-san,” Lev said with warm sincerity. 

Yaku sighed and pulled Lev into a heated kiss, his tongue slipping in to immerse himself deeper. When Yaku pulled away and took a few every breaths he glanced downward with a smirk. “Are you ready for me? Or does your guy need a little help.”

“Oh I’m ready, Yaku-san. We both are,” he winked.

Yaku snorted and gently lowered himself to his shaking knees. His fingers undid the front of Lev’s pants and sure enough Lev’s own leaking member sprung out of its confines and was ready for duty. Yaku wrapped his hand around it and used his thumb to pick up the precum glittering on the head. Using it as lubrication he gave Lev’s cock a couple pumps to rev him up before lining himself up just above it. With his other hand he gripped around Lev’s neck for stability and looked him in the eye. 

“Are you ready?”

“ _ Yes _ ,” Lev urged hoarsely. “Please, Yaku-san.”

With a quick peck of their lips, Yaku lowered himself down onto Lev slowly. He gripped onto the broad shoulders in front of him as he dropped, both of them moaning until at last Lev was entirely sheathed within Yaku. Lev’s arms wrapped tightly around the slender body, nuzzling his nose into the soft auburn curls as he breathed in Yaku’s scent. It was so hot inside him he had to use every ounce of self control not to just burst right away, and he inhaled deep breaths as 

he waited for Yaku to adapt to his girth resting inside of him. 

Yaku’s face was pressed into Lev’s sweaty chest, sucking in air and releasing slowly. It did not hurt so much since Lev took his time in preparing him gently, but it was overwhelming having him inside his body. At last the feeling began to feel natural, and he turned his head up to gaze up with Lev’s beautiful face, strained with concentration as he waited patiently. He reached up and cupped his cheeks, pulling them down so their faces were close. Yaku kissed him gently and pulled back, his face full of emotion.

“Lev, stay by my side forever…please.”

A wide grin spread across Lev’s face as he dropped his head lower so he could nuzzle against Yaku’s neck. He pricked it with a kiss and then whispered, “Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay Kenma was saved! The Cats were saved! Everyone's safe....for now, mwah ha ha!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daichi gets to work from the safety of Dateko while he waits for any news of Kuroo, still missing after their escape. Within the City things get tense as the search continues, and Semi has to make an important decision that could have dire consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of fluff and hormones ahead! And some dark stuff too...

Neither the Knights of Nohebi nor Shiratorizawa were able to pick up any trail of the thieves or the Knights of Karasuno. The trackers were bewildered as they searched every path to find hoofprints scattering everywhere without any pattern and led them right back to the edge of the forest. 

The hounds had no better luck. One sniffed down one path and then simply collapsed into a heavy sleep where it remained til late afternoon. Another ran his nose up a tree and began yowling dramatically, hunching its back. The soldiers looked the tree over carefully, looking for any sign of the outlaws when the entire trunk began to shake. They looked down to see the hound up on its hind legs straddling it and thrusting its hips against the bark to find any relief it could. The rest of them lost any sense of smell and bumbled about confused and out of sorts. 

They decided to send the hounds back to the castle to recuperate and searched every nook and cranny of the forest themselves. Hundreds of soldiers tramped over paths and leaves and brush. Half the day was spent fetching groups that had completely lost their way among the trees and releasing soldiers who were swept up in a clever trap, and still no trace of where the Cats or Crows could be located. They were completely exhausted when the last straw landed in the form of rumbling thunder clouds forming above the tree canopy. 

Before the dark shadow could completely overtake them, the order was sent out to retreat to the city. When the Prince was informed of their failure, he did not yell. He stood in silence as his tall figure loomed over the knights, his eyes glittering with enough malice to immerse them in complete terror. 

He leaned over toward them and with a low tense voice he commanded, “If you’re too afraid of the woods, try searching the city instead. Check every house, tent and shack for them until you find them. Unless of course you’re bothered by a little rain.” 

Trembling within their metal armor, the troops searched within the city for any sign that the thieves or Karasuno Knights had backtracked there to hide. Semi wandered the streets with Shirabu at his side, observing the cries of shock from the common people as Nohebi Knights forced themselves into their homes and turned their possessions apart. He clicked his tongue and looked away, looking inside the closed up market tents for any sign of the fugitives. They were nearing Bokuto’s Tavern when he noticed Shirabu being strangely silent. He glanced back to see his demeanor solemn, his face almost pained as he followed. His jaw was purple and tender from a kick he received during the fight, but other than that he had escaped unscathed. Semi stopped completely under an awning for a reprieve from the downpour and turned to him.

“Shirabu? Are you okay?”

His young kouhai blinked in surprise, but then turned his eyes down. At last he mumbled. “I’ll be fine.”

“Stop it, something’s bothering you, tell me.”

With a sigh he looked back up, his jaw clenched causing his face to wince from the action. “It’s...that fight we had in the garden. Before the Karasuno Knights showed up, I nearly killed one of the cats.”

“That’s hardly surprising,” Semi answered softly. “You’re a gifted knight with exceptional skills. The cats may be tough but they don’t have our training.”

Shirabu shook his soaked head, showering Semi with a wave of raindrops. “I had disarmed him and knocked him down. The Prince was watching and I didn’t want him to think we were disloyal, so instead of just tying him up or injuring him, I was about to stab him with my sword! I was about to kill him in cold blood--” He couldn’t continue as he choked on a sob, a tear escaping from his eye and mixing with the raindrops curling down his cheek.

Semi wasn’t sure what to say. It was against their code to kill another in cold blood, even a freshly disarmed person, even if he was an outlaw. He was relieved Shirabu was not successful and that he obviously felt intense remorse over his actions. After a moment letting the young man regain his composure with shuddering breaths, he gripped onto his shoulder and looked him in the eye.

“I agree, Shirabu, that you should not have tried to kill him in that way. But I won’t lecture you, since you know full well that would not be the behavior of a true Knight of Shiratorizawa. I’m glad you didn’t kill him in the end. Honestly we’re all confused by everything that’s happened. But for now all we can do is continue searching. Okay?”

Shirabu accepted the lecture with dignity and nodded. Without another word about it Semi led the way into his favorite tavern.

The mood inside was the most grave he had ever witnessed. No patrons were inside, though typically it was full to the brim on rainy days of people wanting to escape the cold, damp weather. Bokuto was alone behind the bar with his shoulders slumped as he polished glasses that were already sparkling. The entire interior was cleanly swept and put together, which looked entirely unnatural to Semi who was used to people clarmoring about and laughing with their mugs of ale clinking together and spilling out onto the floor. 

He exchanged a concerned look with Shirabu and walked over to the bar. He was nearly there when Bokuto finally registered their presence.

“Oh, Sir Semi! Sir Shirabu. Were you looking for a quick drink?” He stammered as he pulled a heavy jug up and set it on the counter with a thud.

Semi stopped him before he poured a glass with a hand in the air. “Sorry, Bokuto, we’re not here for a drink. We’re under orders to search the entire city. I thought I’d beat the Nohebi Knights here so they don’t tear your tavern apart. They’ve been more than rough with the other citizens.”

Bokuto winced at the news, but nodded sadly. “S-Sure thing...I trust you guys,” He mumbled as he walked to the far end of the bar and lifted the hinged part of it where they could pass through to the back. 

Semi let Shirabu inspect everything behind the counter, though there were few places a person could hide there. He wandered through the archway and walked into the small kitchen. He found several of Bokuto’s workers languidly cleaning and reorganizing during the slump of business. They greeted him politely and let him look about, but Semi felt uneasy at their sudden wariness around him. Even Bokuto watched him from the archway, unnervingly silent with his large muscular arms crossed in front of him. He could tell Bokuto wasn’t angry at him, but they had developed a friendly and teasing relationship over the last few years, and he hated that his duties had begun to put a wall even between them. 

He continued regardless as he passed through all the back rooms, finding Akaashi counting notes and money to make sure Bokuto even had enough pay their workers. He greeted Semi politely with a bow, the aura surrounding colder than he had ever felt. After a quick look around he bid him goodbye and left swiftly. Together he and Shirabu inspected every corner and turned up nothing to add suspicion. He was just giving his thanks to Bokuto in the main section of the tavern when two Nohebi Knights trudged in, leaving a trail of mud behind them. 

“We already checked this place,” Semi said curtly as he walked toward them, his chin in the air. Shirabu did the same, his eyes narrowed dangerously at the intruders.

The knights looked around and the first one scoffed. “Doesn’t look like it to me. I think we had better look over the place ourselves just to make sure.”

Semi continued toward him slowly, rage beginning to boil in his chest. “ _ We _ don’t need to break anything while doing our inspections...because  _ we _ ... _ are _ ... _ not _ ... _ idiots _ ,” he seethed, getting into the knight’s face. He let his eyes lock onto the other one with frigid sharpness, and turned back to the one right in front of him, who stared back in wide eyed shock. “You’re wasting precious time inspecting areas already checked...Get the fuck out.” 

The knight gasped and stumbled back. He practically shrieked when he noticed Bokuto had stepped up behind Semi, his golden eyes set with intense fire as he straightened up his bulky frame, successfully intimidating the knight completely. He gripped onto his companion’s arm and without another word scurried out of the tavern.

Semi released a long breath from between his teeth. 

“I’m so sick of those assholes,” Shirabu seethed, his face pinched with his more familiar irritation.

Semi nodded in agreement and turned once more to Bokuto. He felt intense relief when the spiky haired man regarded him with a smirk instead of the cool melancholy he had earlier. 

“Damn, Semi, swearing from a gentlemanly knight? This is a public place you know. What would our good King say if he knew?”

Semi snorted, and felt a bit of his stress melt away. He smirked back at Bokuto and said in a mock stern tone, “That’s  _ Sir _ Semi, Bokuto.” He clapped the other man’s shoulder as Bokuto huffed out a laugh. 

With one last farewell they left the warmth of the tavern to submerge themselves in the disheartening downpour. It wore onto late evening and still no trace could be found. The only change was the uproar of discontent among the city’s people at the ransacking their homes without any regard to their well being or possessions. With nothing left to do in town and the atmosphere growing dangerous, the knights all returned to the castle with rotations of small groups continuing the night watch.

This continued for several days, tramping through the muddy forest, overturning the castle, and invading the personal lives of the townspeople until the pressure began to mount. The Royal Guard was giving that very report to the Prince as they relayed their worries to him. The Prince was never one to have an outburst of anger, but they could see him nearly bursting with fury at the fugitive’s easy escape. 

“It’s obvious, Your Majesty, that they’re no longer here. They must have gone to an outside village or even traveled back to their distant hole of Karasuno. We should leave the common people alone and continue the search--”

“No.”

Semi blinked in shock at the refusal. “But, Your Majesty, things are getting intense. The people are liable to riot if we continue harassing them this way.” 

“They will not riot if there are more soldiers than them. They wouldn’t dare.”

“But, we don’t have that many soldiers, even with the Nohebi Knights.”

The Prince stood as he rolled his eyes, “We hardly have any of the Knights of Nohebi present within our city. I have already sent out for all of them to join us as reinforcements.”

A collective gasp erupted throughout the Royal Guard. Shiratorizawa had the greatest fleet of knights throughout the kingdom, but nearly all of them were at the King’s side in their faraway battles. To have their city overrun by the corruptible knights from Nohebi was almost intolerable to them.

“Please, Your Majesty, don’t you think we should--”

“Enough, Semi! Know your place. Did you forget that you swore a vow to obey me?!” He hissed as he stomped past them, his robes swirling behind him as he left them in total silence. 

None of them moved or spoke for several minutes, though Semi could hear their brains working a million miles an hour. He locked eyes with Yamagata and then to Ohira. Both of them looked terrified and confused. It felt like every accusation the thieves and Daichi claimed was whirling over their heads like a rip current, sucking them into a dungeon of their own making. It was through their unwavering loyalty they had obeyed every command and word uttered by the Prince without a second thought. Semi bent over with his hands on his knees as he tried to breathe, overwhelmed by the obvious truth and their inability to do anything about it.

Yamagata rushed over and placed a steady hand on his back. 

“Relax, Semi, it’s going to be okay.”

“How is it going to be okay, Sir Yamagata?” Shirabu griped. “We’re about to be invaded by Nohebi! What can we do?”

“I don’t know,” Ohira answered grimly, rubbing his face with his calloused hand. “This is all so confusing, I don’t know what options we have.”

“We...we should have listened to Master Daichi,” said Goshiki, who stared at the floor furiously with a trembling lip beyond his clenched jaw. “He was right, we know it.”

“Shhh,” Yamagata hissed over Semi’s back. “Whether that’s true or not, don’t speak it out loud, not here. He’s been named a traitor, and agreeing with him openly will give you the same treatment.”

Semi shook his wavy ash blonde hair as he regained his composure. “It’s true...at this point doing so would be direct rebellion. We have to proceed with caution.” He stood up and faced his loyal friends, his face grim and determined. “There’s only one more thing I can try. We’ve only questioned the Prince in front of each other and in public. If I go to him in private, perhaps we can discuss it with civility. The Prince is intelligent...he’ll see reason.”

Shirabu and Goshiki looked slightly hopeful as they nodded in agreement, but Semi saw Ohira and Yamagata look at eachother with trepidation.

“If...if you think that’s wise,” Yamagata relented, though still concerned.

“It’s all any of us can do. I’ll speak with him tonight when things have settled down.”

 

It was several days after leaving the city behind, and the unknown future hung unnervingly in the air as Daichi stared longingly out the window of his small room at the Manor. All the Knights of Karasuno had arrived within the hold of Dateko with unexpected ease. The typically foreboding high walls lined with black iron were a welcome sight from their harrowing escape, and they were greeted by the knights and the Lord of Dateko with gracious attention. They treated their wounds and were joined by Lord Takeda and Sir Ukai as they immediately began planning their next move. Before Daichi had made his final decision to help Kuroo and his friends escape, he had received a timely note by raven from Ukai stating that he agreed with his decision and they would work out an alternate solution once they arrive. 

The Lords that had united within the hold were worried about the turn of events. Most of their plans of a coup revolved around Daichi being present within the walls of the city along with his knights, who would allow entrance to their invading soldiers when the time had come. Now everything had been turned upside down, and a new plan had to be developed quickly before the Prince discovered the insubordination of every Lord in his Kingdom. It was with great relief, however, that they all understood his decision to rescue the thieves. The redistribution of the taxes to their starving people was done behind their backs, but they knew it was occurring. The rumors swirled throughout the Kingdom of the Cat Thieves who were truly the people’s saviors, and instead of seeking their arrest the Lords secretly supported their endeavors and looked the other way whenever they could. It allowed them to keep their people safe without outward rebellion against the Prince. The fact that Daichi had the sort of character where he would be willing to destroy his own security and safety to protect them proved that he was the sort of leader they should support in the absence of the King. It was a huge relief to Daichi that he received no backlash on that, though none of the Lords knew of his particular attachment to the leader of the cat gang. 

Daichi sighed as his thoughts crept back to Kuroo. He had yet to receive any word on his whereabouts, and his stomach churned as he listed all the terrible things that may have happened to him. He took a deep breath and attempted to calm his mind.

_ Have faith in Kuroo...he’ll make it out...he promised. _

He turned his back on the window and decided to check on his companions, all busy with their own duties around the Hold. He stepped into the hazy heat of the smith’s workshop, a series of  clangs ringing out and piercing his ears. At the far end was the forge, the fire blazing and smoke flooding upward through a hood over the top to vent. Asahi and Tanaka were standing next to it, their faces serious with flushed cheeks as they fashioned brand new swords from the bright molten metal. They had both removed their shirts in the intense heat, sweat snaking down in tendrils around the curves of their muscles. When Daichi walked over to them, they assured him they were doing fine, and he complimented their work and reminded them to keep drinking water before they passed out. He turned to see Nishinoya and Ennoshita working on organizing the weapons and equipment, and doing a poor job as they were constantly distracted by the “show”. 

“Nishinoya, wipe that drool off your chin and get to work, or I’ll put you in another building,” Daichi scolded as he sidled up to them, and with a squeak the shorter man busied himself with his task with renewed energy. Daichi moved a bt closer to Ennoshita and gave him a sideways look.

“You too, Ennoshita,” he mumbled. “I wouldn’t have expected such ogling from you.” 

Ennoshita’s face flushed a bright red as he looked away, his hands trembling as he matched knives to appropriate sheaths. 

“Y-Yes, sir...won’t happen again.”

Daichi snorted. “I don’t mind it happening again, just not when we’re working.” Ennoshita winced but nodded his admission, and with that Daichi left to find the rest of his friends. 

He passed by Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, who were assisting two Knights of Dateko with building temporary paddocks for the influx of warhorses they were expecting. The fencing was nearly complete, and they seemed to be doing well until he heard a flurry of sarcasm being passed between Tsukishima and the brown haired knight named Futakuchi. Tsukishima appeared to be making full use of his height as he leered down at the knight dressed in his deep teal tunic. Futakuchi simply scoffed and flipped his sweaty brown hair indignantly, spurting out words Daichi couldn’t hear but could tell even from the distance that they were full of bite. The atmosphere seemed to be getting tenser, and Yamaguchi was looking a little nervous as he looked back and forth between the two sarcastic knights. He was about to step closer to intervene when he saw the taller knight, Aone, place his big strong hands down and grip onto Futakuchi’s shoulders. He looked up and met Aone’s stern gaze, and with a humph he apologized and they continued working as if nothing had occurred. Even Tsukishima looked a bit wary under the supervision of the intimidating knight, but Yamaguchi simply threw the stoic man a thankful smile. 

With the crisis averted, Daichi shrugged and continued across the lawn to the base of the lookout tower. He looked up the long winding staircase and heard the arguing voices floating down from above. He snickered and shook his head, wondering if those two would ever really get along. He ascended the precarious steps, feeling a bit dizzy as the tower shifting slightly when the wind picked up. As he nearly reached the top, he realized that Hinata and Kageyama did get along in their own strange way, it was just full of good humored taunts and insults lacking creativity. 

“All I’m saying is that I have a way better chance than you do! I’m not saying you’ve got  _ no  _ chance!”

“How would you even know, dumbass. You met  _ your  _ guy in the middle of a fight! You barely even saw him under that cloak.”

“So? It was dramatic and romantic! I saved his life, how could it not work out? It’s fate!”

“There’s lots of reasons! You’re short and stupid! Why would short, stupid knights be his type?”

“I’m stupid?! You can’t even string two words together without stuttering around Akaashi-san, your face all red like a tomato.”

“Wha--I do not, stupid...dumbass!”

“Akaashi, huh?” Daichi asked as he leaned against the archway at the top of the stairs, smirking at his arguing kouhai. The both of them stiffened in shock, and Kageyama’s face began to turn into a tomato, proving Hinata’s observation correct.

“Huh? What, no, I don’t like Akaashi-san, it’s not like that!! I just...I admire him that’s all.”

Hinata began snickering next to him, “Oh Daichi-san, I wish you could’ve seen him! Akaashi-san would ask if he’d like anything to drink and Kageyama would be like ‘Uh-uh-oh yes, well, no, um I don’t think-what was the question?’ and his face would go all like POOF like he was on fire and then he’d-OUCH!” Hinata barreled forward when Kageyama’s fist went into the back of his head.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow, why’d you do that Bakageyama?! You just can’t admit you think he’s sooooo pretty.”

“So what? At least I don’t believe in love at first sight like an idiot.”

Daichi cocked his head at Hinata, who fiddled with his fingers nervously. “Umm, I don’t know anything about him, but I rescued one of the Cats during the garden battle, and then I grabbed him when we rode off, he sat behind me and held onto my waist.” Hinata’s cheeks grew a bit rosy himself as he recalled their interactions.

“What did he look like?”

“Oh, small, not as short as me, but close. His hair was bright yellow except for the top part, and his eyes were large and beautiful. He was quick but he looked kinda delicate, but really cool and pretty...” Hinata trailed off as was overcome with embarrassment.

“Oh that’s probably Kenma,” Daichi explained. “I’ve known him forever, he’s Kuroo’s best friend.”

“Kenma,” Hinata tested the name on his tongue quietly with a cute smile. 

Daichi wasn’t sure what to say to his two kouhai. He liked the idea of Hinata falling for one of his oldest friends, but he hadn’t a clue what Kenma thought. Kenma didn’t even really like people and regarded most things with a lazy reluctance. He felt like it would take a lot for someone like him to fall in love.

Kageyama he had absolutely no advise for. He knew very little about Akaashi and wasn’t too sure of the relationship between him and Bokuto. Besides, he was left behind in Shiratorizawa City, and who knew when they could be reunited again with their friends still there.

“Daichi-san, you love Kuroo-san, right?” Hinata asked curiously, interrupting his thoughts.

Daichi smiled back at him. “Of course!”

“Since when?”

“Hmmm, that’s complicated. We were ten or eleven when we met, I can hardly remember. We became friends and then around the time we were twelve our relationship just...changed. Or maybe not changed, just shifted? It was pretty young to fall in love with someone, and we were separated for many years. I think it was our devotion to one another that made it last. There’s no one in the world I’d rather be with.” He regarded the two young men in front of him for a moment and then continued. “I know it’s easy to get lost in an infatuation when you think someone’s attractive or kind. I don’t want to dissuade you both, but really take your time getting to know them properly first. Even that process can be an enjoyable one.”

Hinata brightened and nodded his head eagerly. Kageyama nodded thoughtfully as he soaked in Daichi’s advise. He stepped forward and ruffled both of their heads. 

“Now get back to work and try to ease up on each other.”

“Yes!” They said in unison as they whirled around, facing in different directions as their heads swiveled back and forth with their eyes squinted into the distance. Daichi shook his head with a chuckle and made his way back down the stairs. 

He finally entered the Main Hall of the Manor where the young Lord of Dateko, Moniwa Kaname, was meeting with Lord Takeda and Sir Ukai. Beside Sir Ukai sat Suga, hunched over the table and diligently taking notes as he listened in. They all turned and smiled when they heard him come in and offered him a polite greeting.

“Come on in, Daichi, we gotta lot to discuss,” said Ukai as he leaned back in his chair, tipping it precariously onto the two back legs, his hand waving at Daichi to beckon him forward. 

“Any word on Kuroo yet?” He asked anxiously as he sat beside Lord Takeda and across from Suga. 

Ukai twisted his mouth as he contemplated how to answer. “Hmm, well we have received a raven from Shiratorizawa City, and it has a lot of news, but we weren’t sure if we could trust the sender.”

“Who’s it from?”

“Akaashi,” Answered Suga as he handed him the letter. “At least we assume it’s from him, it sounded like him but he was smart not to put anything incriminating in it just in case it was intercepted.”

 

Daichi unfolded the paper, glancing at the broken seal that looked to be the shape of an owl, and read it to himself. 

 

_ To Master Daichi and/or his associates, _

_ There is no sign of Kuroo or his friends, and the soldiers are continuously looking for them in the forest and within the city.  _

_ The Knights of Nohebi have been ransacking homes looking for them, and the people are growing angry and discontent. The Royal Guard is doing what they can to keep the peace, but they cannot hold on for long. _

_ Rumors are floating around that every Knight of Nohebi has been summoned to the city to quash any rioting. Tensions are high and fights break out every day.  _

_ Please do what you can for all our sakes. _

 

“Hmm, direct and to the point...it sounds like Akaashi,” Daichi finally said as he let out a relieved sigh. “At least they haven’t caught Kuroo yet.” 

“Is that all you paid attention to?” Suga asked with a smirk.

Daichi sat up straighter and gave him a glare. “No, I read the whole thing. Filling the City with Nohebi Knights...that’s a recipe for disaster. I’m sure the Royal Guard didn’t take it too well.”

“I’m sure you’re right,” Moniwa added, his face solemn as he drummed his fingers on the table. “It’s a shame they couldn’t see reason when they had the chance, and now they’re left on their own.”

Daichi grimaced as he remembered the moment he clashed swords with Semi. He had so much respect for the other man, who also happened to be a dear friend to the King. It was an ugly business that turned them against each other, he just hoped that one day he would be able to forgive him.

“Well, as for our plans we still don’t have much,” Ukai stated. “The good news is that outside of the city basically everyone’s on our side, though I’m sure Daishou has his spies. Best thing we can come up with so far is to simply raise Daichi up as Interim Monarch right here in Dateko. From here he can command, send out the soldiers and attend to issues in the villages. Take the Prince and the City completely out of the equation.”

“What about the Nohebi soldiers?” Lord Takeda asked nervously. “The Prince would surely send them out to clean this up.”

“Even with the leftover Shiratorizawa Knights and Nohebi Knights, they still don’t compare to the amount of soldiers we command,” Moniwa said as he pondered the idea.

“So what you’re saying,” Daichi added, “Is that I can act as a ruler here, utilize the knights from all the outlying villages and protect the people...we could arrest any Nohebi Knights taking taxes or trying to stir up trouble…” 

“We could cut off food supplies and merchants while we’re at it,” Ukai added, but Daichi frowned.

“I’m not sure I like that idea. There so many people left within the city walls, cutting them off from food and trade would hurt them more than the Prince.”

“He’s right, but there are other things we can do to hurt only the Prince,” Moniwa agreed.

“Well, that’s a start! Daichi, start drawing up plans, talk to these two fancy gentleman to sort it out and use Suga any way you can. Good?”

Daichi and Suga exchanged an amused look and nodded. With that Ukai hopped out of his seat and gave Suga a friendly and overly hard pat on the shoulder and waved a goodbye as he walked out of the room.

Lord Takeda smiled and shook his head. “Forgive us Lord Moniwa, Sir Ukai is of course a soldier, and never did get used to titles or manners as most knights do.”

“Please, think nothing of it. He may not be the most eloquent, but I am relieved he is here. He has a lot of experience in these matters and gets things done. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to make sure our knights are behaving themselves in front of the Knights of Karasuno.” He gave a polite bow and exited the room, the rest of them not far behind as they all split off with their various duties.

Suga sat with Daichi in his room as they worked out the number of knights he had at his disposal and how best to utilize them. Since Kuroo stole back the stolen taxes and had them secretly redistributed, the Kingdom had improved its state slightly. They worked out a plan to regulate trade and make sure each village had enough food for the oncoming winter. A dull ache began to creep throughout Daichi’s head as they tried to figure everything out, but a warm feeling spread through his chest at finally being able to do something worthwhile for the Kingdom after months or even years of hiding like a little mouse. 

Finally he leaned back after hours of working, shifting his head around to work out the kinks in his stiff neck. A ball of fluff stretched across his lap as if he too had been working instead of sleeping all day.

“I think that’s enough for now. Call it a night?” Suga asked with a tired smile, already gathering his notes. 

Daichi yawned loudly as he stretched his arms up into the air, little cracks popping along his muscles. With a chuckle he nodded, “Yeah, definitely time to call it a night. See ya tomorrow.” 

Alone at last he swiped the kitten off his lap and left him on the chair in front of the fire. He quickly changed into his sleep clothes, and with a quick rinse of his face crawled into bed and went limp with exhaustion. With his head heavy on the pillow he squinted at the obtrusive candle next to his bed. He puffed out forceful breaths, hoping his pathetic air current would extinguish the delicate flame, but all it did was taunt him with a little dance. With a groan he lifted his body up and leaned toward it, and with one forceful blow the stubborn candle went out. His body flopped back down with a sigh, and he smiled as he relished the quiet solitude.

Of course at that moment his window was knocked open and a series of thuds startled him from his relaxed state. He sprang up in alarm and relit the candle beside him, lifted it up to illuminate the room and saw a sheepish looking Kuroo sprawled out on his floor.

The surprise melted into a stifled laugh as the dashing man he was in love with collected his long limbs and flopped over onto his stomach. Slipping his hands underneath him, he popped up into the air and landed on his feet. He lifted his hands in the air as if he expected applause from his impressive feat.

Daichi simply cocked an eyebrow and shook his head. “What happened to the impressive agility of the famous Kuroo Testurou I heard so much about? The Knights of Nohebi claimed you could appear out of thin air and then disappear like a puff of smoke.”

Kuroo snorted, “I may have breathed in too much smoke.”

Daichi huffed out a laugh and reached his hand out to his awkward lover. Kuroo hopped forward eagerly and accepted it, his grin shining like a crescent moon in the candlelight.

“I’m glad you’re safe,” Daichi whispered as their faces crept closer and finally meeting at the lips. 

“Mmmmm, I’m glad  _ you  _ are too.”

“What took you so long,” Daichi whined as his lower lip began pop out. Kuroo enveloped it in his lips and sucked on it, pulling it out a bit further til it slipped out.. 

“Sorry, they were pretty thorough with their searches. It took forever to get most of us out safely.”

“Well I’m relieved that you all--wait, what do you mean most of us?”

“I left Kai and Fukunaga behind.”

“What?!”

“Shhhh, it’s fine! We still need someone on the inside right? They’re like two of my most careful guys. Well, Yaku’s the best but Lev won’t let him out of his sight since he got captured, but those two can handle it. Relax, we’ve got a plan!”

“Hm, well I’d love to hear it, but not right now. Let’s go to bed.”

“Ooooohh? Eager are we?” Kuroo said while his eyebrows wiggled up and down.

Daichi snorted, embarrassed that he really loved it when Kuroo did that. “Sorry, Tetsu, I can hardly keep my eyes open.”

“Oh, I was hoping you’d say that,” Kuroo groaned and draped himself over Daichi’s shoulders, letting all his weight fall on him. Daichi caught him with a grunt, and with great effort he dragged Kuroo to the bed and shoved him carelessly onto it. Leaning down he untied his boots enough to yank them off, and then slid up further to hover over Kuroo’s body and untied his cloak. Kuroo remained limp as a dead fish while he let himself be spoiled, peeking through a cracked eyelid as his small smirk gave away that he had not yet fallen asleep. He did eventually wiggle over so Daichi could slip in next to him in the small one person bed. This time Daichi remembered to blow out the candle before settling his head on the pillow. He wiggled around in the dark til he was comfortable, a peace settling over him as he felt the heat from Kuroo’s body right behind him, right where he should be. As soon as he settled he felt a set of long arms sneak around his waist and pull him in tighter, Kuroo’s chest pressed up against his back. He gave a shiver as he felt lips press against the back of his neck and down to his shoulder.

“Tetsu...don’t start something  you can’t finish,” He teased out in the darkness, and heard the answering chuckle in his ear.

“Alright, I won’t. Hey...I love you.”

Daichi leaned his head back against him and wrapped his arms around Kuroo’s and sighed happily. “Love you too.” 

 

The nerves were beginning to build in Semi’s stomach as he walked alone through the corridor toward the Prince’s suite. He had already changed out of his typical armor and instead dressed in the standard maroon tunic for the Knights of Shiratorizawa with a bold white eagle embroidered meticulously on the front. He made the decision to leave all his weapons in his room to hopefully put the Prince more at ease for their difficult conversation ahead. The halls were quiet for once, and it put Semi a bit on edge after constantly being surrounded by the obnoxious Nohebi Knights. He shook his head as he mentally berated himself for being uncomfortable with his peaceful solitude, especially when the alternative was much worse. 

He finally arrived at the Prince’s quarters being guarded by two Shiratorizawa guards. They gave him a polite nod as they stepped aside. He reached his fist out to knock, but hesitated slightly, almost as if his fist and the ornately carved door were opposite poles of a magnet. He took a deep breath to steel his nerves. 

_ It’s Satori...what am I afraid of? _

He knocked with fabricated confidence and waited until he heard the Prince’s distant voice call out for him to enter. He slipped inside and observed the gloomy darkness of the lavish room. The fire had smouldered into a heap of ashy logs, the small glow of dying embers fading slowly. There were no other torches and candles in the room, and it took some time for his eyes to adapt to the absence of light. He shut the door softly behind him when he heard the Prince’s voice from across the room.

“I’m over here, Semi, on the balcony.”

Semi’s eyes finally adjusted as he picked out the Prince’s shadow in the open balcony. A sheen of moonlight skimmed across him as he stared down into the silent garden below, highlighting his wild spikes of hair and his tall, lithe figure. Semi noted as he walked forward how worn out his features looked and how sad his heavy lidded eyes were. A pain erupted in his chest as he remembered Satori from so many years ago, teasing him and his friends with his sing song voice. He was never put off by people’s rude insults at his strange looks or inability to be anything like his perfect elder brother. Instead he would smirk and throw a clever comment back that would completely unnerve the rude person. Semi loved his ability to do that...but he was so different now he was nearly unrecognizable.

“Your Majesty,” he spoke in a hoarse whisper, fear and a mixture of an old emotion swirling in his gut at the intimate atmosphere of the situation. 

Prince Satori turned his head slowly, offering no hint of a smile, just a twitch of his mouth.

“Sir Semi, it’s quite late. What can I do for you this evening?” As he spoke he turned his face away, looking up at the bright moon like it was a crystal ball that could tell him his future. Semi gazed up at it too, and briefly marveled at its astounding beauty.

“Forgive me, Your Majesty. I was hoping we could...talk.”

“Oh? What about?”

“Well, many things. Things are happening so fast and there’s little time to discuss things with you--”

“Why would I need to discuss things with you?”

His tone had a bite to it, and it may as well had been a slap across Semi’s face. The calm speech he had prepared to reason with the Prince fluttered away like a caged bird given its first chance at freedom. He gritted his teeth and growled, “Because, Your Majesty, you  _ used _ to speak with me often. I am your oldest and most loyal friend! You used to confide in me, and listened to my advise when you needed it. Nowadays you treat me like some common bodyguard and not--”

Semi’s emotional admission was interrupted when the Prince turned to face him swiftly. He moved closer until he was right in front of Semi, his face hovering above his with the advantage of being a few inches taller. The irritation and bite had melted away from the Prince’s face. Instead a sliver of his old self was beginning to emerge, his eyebrows knitted together in concern as he gazed into Semi’s eyes.

“Shhhh, I’m sorry,” He whispered, his breath tickling Semi’s face. “I’m sorry that I abandoned you to focus on my duties. I’m sorry you felt like I passed you over for the other knights, that’s not what I intended  _ Eita _ .”

Semi’s eyes widened at the use of his given name and felt his cheeks grow a little warm. He was stunned when a smile snuck onto the Prince’s face and before he could speak his lips were captured in a warm kiss. He gasped in surprise, but squeezed his eyes shut as he accepted it. The kiss felt strange to Semi, familiar like a reoccuring dream but with small subtle changes in it to teeter on the realm of nightmares. The Prince curled his left arm around his back and pulled him close, moving his lips against Semi’s the way they used to when they were young, destroying all Semi’s resolve. 

After a moment the Prince pulled back, regarding Semi with a soft expression. Emotions crashed into Semi as he registered what had happened. With a shuddering breath he looked back up at the Prince, his face twisted with hurt and disbelief.

“Why did you do that?” he seethed. “You...you told me we had to let it go. You said we had to move on and nothing could ever happen between us.”

“Oh sweet Eita,” The Prince cooed as his left hand grazed his cheek. “That kiss wasn’t a reinitiation of our previous indiscretion. It was a goodbye.”

“A goodbye?”

Suddenly Semi felt a sharp pain erupting from his abdomen. He looked down to see a knife emerging from his stomach, covered in dripping blood. The bold white eagle on his tunic began turn an unnatural dark crimson before anything could stop it. He could hardly breathe as his brain tried to sort out what was happening through the searing pain, his face jerking back up to the Prince. 

The Prince sighed dramatically as he wiped the knife clean off on Semi’s sleeve and slipped it back into a sheath at his hip.

“It’s a pity,” was all he said as he placed his hands on Semi’s shoulders and shoved. Semi’s body toppled over the railing and left entirely to the mercy of the frigid night air. He did not register that he was about to die, or that his oldest friend had betrayed him in the worst way as he plunged toward the earth. Strangely not one thought crossed his mind as finally landed, the entire world flickering out like a candle, plunging him into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys are still enjoying it! Don't be afraid to let me know if you like a certain ship forming in the story or hints at one...the story revolves around Daichi and Kuroo, but obviously I'd love to spend time with the other couples too, especially if I get a request!


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A continuation of the same night Semi fell from the balcony, stabbed by Prince Satori, and we get to find out what happened to the poor knight...

At that time of night, the whole city would typically be settling down in their warm beds and relinquishing their minds to the thrall of sleep.  _ That  _ night, however, there was a trepidation in the air as the citizens of Shiratorizawa City barred their doors and with trembling hands slipped their window curtains aside just enough to see if anything was happening outside the sanctuary of their homes. The streets however remained occupied only by the creeping mist along the cobblestones glinting in the torchlight. Eventually everyone huddled together in their beds and held their families close as they let their minds relax enough to get some sleep and hoped the feeling in the air was just in their imaginations.

The Hoots & Pints Tavern was closed for the evening, the large front door bolted shut and all the curtains drawn. All the chairs had been lifted upside down on the tables and the floor swept clean. The fire was still crackling with a lively dance as it flickered eerie light across the high wooden beams, creating odd shadows that curled and bent against the ceiling. The tavern was not empty, however, as the entire crew was still restless, lounging against the wall and sitting on top of the counter as Akaashi cleaned up and organized the rows of glasses,  the young towering Onaga assisting him.

Bokuto’s mood had descended rapidly since the departure of Kuroo and the Cats and Daichi and his knights. Even his hair had lost a bit of its structure as it drooped slightly forward over his forehead. He groaned and flopped his upper body onto the counter, his face planted right onto the rough ale stained planks. Yukie sat in front of him on a teetering bar stool and leaned forward to give him a couple rough pats on the back.

“There, there...things will get better,” She cooed.

“Sure about that, young lady?” A gravelly voice beside grumbled beside her. The wiry old man stared as the foam diminished in his half drank mug of ale, swirling it in front of him.

“Of course I am, Hongo-san,” Yukie answered with confidence, winking at Kaori beside her, who looked nervous in the tense atmosphere. “Things get bad, and then things get better! It’s the way of the world.”

“Hmph, it’s liable to get worse if the King doesn’t return soon,” he grumped as he took another sip.The old man was known for his fierce loyalty to the King, fashioning most of his weapons with his own gnarled but gifted hands. He refused to make any for his younger brother under the guise of retirement, but even from the Prince’s youth Old Man Hongo had an uneasy feeling about him. It was rumored that his pale blue eyes could stare straight into a man’s soul and see the pure or evil thoughts that swirled within the victim of his gaze. When he was informed cautiously of the rumor, he’d simply scoff and mumble that it was a bunch of hooey.

“AkaaaaAAaashiiiii,” Bokuto whined as he turned his head in the direction of his friend. “Why are we still here? This is awful.” 

Akaashi sighed, “I know, Bokuto-san, but the security around the front gate has gotten even tighter. It would look suspicious of the entire crew of the tavern were to try to get through with a cart full of luggage.”

“Can’t we just sneak out, like Kuroo?”

Akaashi stopped wiping the glass in his hand and shot him a smirk, “You honestly think you’d be quiet enough to sneak out of the city? You have many talents, but being inconspicuous is not one of them.”

“We could tie him up and gag him,” Offered Konoha as he hovered in the archway to the back area. “Then we could put him in a sack and smuggle him out, no one would know the difference.”

Akaashi rolled his eyes at the suggestion, but frowned when he saw Bokuto’s hopeful face. “ _ No _ , Bokuto-san, we are not tying you up and gagging you.” 

Konoha, Komi and Onaga snickered, always feeling a bit better when they were able to poke good natured fun at their goofy boss. Even Hongo-san cracked a smile as Bokuto dramatically tried to reason with Akaashi some more to no avail.

A loud thud against the back door startled them all from their short lived mirth. The crew’s demeanor flipped to a battle ready focus, slipping into the back and grabbing their favored weapons from cleverly hidden places. Bokuto’s eyes were sharp as he stood firmly in the archway facing the back door at the end of the hallway. Yukie stood up and craned her head to see, but a hand pulled her back and shoved her lower behind the bar as Hongo-san stood up warily, his pale blue eyes steady.

They held their breath expectantly until the door slammed open revealing a tall cloaked figure struggling with their back to them.

“Help us,” Kai’s strained voice called and they all swept forward to assist. Kai stumbled backward holding a limp body in his arms with Fukunaga gripping onto the legs. Onaga and Konoha slid next to the body and lifted underneath to give them a break. They gasped when they saw the person in their arms was a bloodied Semi Eita, his pale face hanging limp to the side. 

“Is he even alive?” Konoha grunted, trying to keep him steady as they moved further in.

“Yes,” Fukunaga answered, his foot catching the open door and kicking it shut, “But maybe not for long. It’s bad.”

They shuffled awkwardly through the small hallway and into the kitchen where they could lay him out on their prep table. Akaashi set to work with a pair of scissors appearing in his hand and cutting through his tunic. Bokuto’s face was pale as he watched the steel cutters slice through the embroidered eagle turned brown with dried blood. They gingerly lifted the tunic from his torso and removed the bandages haphazardly wadded around the wound. 

“That was all we could do at the time to stop the bleeding,” Kai panted as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. 

From the archway Hongo, Yukie and Kaori were watching with wide eyes. Kaori covered her mouth as she stifled a gag from the metallic scent of blood saturating the air. Yukie wrapped her arm around her and pulled her back into the bar area. She rubbed her back as she kissed the blonde’s flushed cheek.

“It’s okay, sweetie, you don’t have to watch. Can you go to the front window and peek from behind the curtain and warn us if anyone’s coming?”

Kaori kept her hand in front of her mouth but after a couple deep breaths gave Yukie a firm nod. She rushed through the pass-through of the bar and crept to the front window that had a good view of the square. Yukie entered the chaos with her sleeves rolled up and went straight to the kitchen stove where Komi had just set a bucket of water. She set to work heating it faster as Hongo stepped just a bit closer, his jaw set firm as he gazed at the fatally wounded knight.

“He was one of the good King’s dearest friends. Who would have done such a treacherous thing?”

“Yeah, did you see what happened, you guys?!” Bokuto urged with a strained voice as he remained by Semi’s head with his hands holding his shoulders firm against the table.

Kai and Fukunaga exchanged a look, and the latter stepped forward, his eyes twitching over their faces. “We didn’t see what preceded it, whether they were arguing or what, we don’t know, but....we saw him get stabbed and thrown over the balcony into the garden...by the Prince.”

The hurricane of movement paused for a brief moment as everyone gasped and looked at him. 

“You’re shitting us…” Komi said as he began to inspect Semi’s torso for more injuries than just the stab wound.

“Nope,” said Kai, scratching his head, “It was definitely him. Luckily they were in his suite and he landed in some rose bushes. They scratched him up pretty bad but they broke his fall so I don’t think anything is broken.”

“Did the Prince see you take him?!” Akaashi asked as the bucket of hot water was set beside him and they got to work cleaning out the wound.

“No, we waited til he went back in his room, which wasn’t long. He took one look at Semi’s body down below and just turned around, shut the door and drew the curtains. It was...creepy as hell.”

“That damned bastard!” Hongo growled as he slammed his fist against the wall. “This is it. This is the last straw. If I have to trudge by myself across the land to fetch King Wakatoshi back from the war I’ll do it!”

“Please, Hongo-san,” Akaashi called from the table as his green eyes never left the wound as he tried to sew it up. “We can discuss our next move later, but right now we have to do what we can to save Sir Semi’s life.”

The old man sighed and joined Bokuto by Semi’s head, gravely taking in the sight of the fallen knight. “You’re right, I’m sorry. Is there anything I can do?”

Akaashi pursed his lips as he thought and continued sewing. 

“We do need to think of a plan, Akaashi,” Kai spoke up from the foot of the table, where he and Fukunaga were resting. “The Prince will find his body missing by morning and start looking for him. We need to get him out tonight if we can...if he lives.”

“So, we need to escape the confines of the city swarming with Nohebi Knights with a bleeding unconscious man without getting caught…” Hongo mused, his finger stroking his bristled chin. “You two,” He pointed at Kai and Fukunaga, “You’re part of Kuroo’s group, right? Let’s go plan in the other room, leave these fellas to take care of Young Semi.”

Yukie followed them as well since there was nothing else she could do to help. Akaashi’s eyes flickered up to Bokuto, who was frowning as he stared down at Semi’s face.

“Bokuto-san? Are you okay?”

“Hm, just thinking,” He mumbled, his eyes flickering to his friends around him, working diligently. “We need to go with them.”

“We just went over this--”

“No, we can’t stay here, Akaashi. The Prince he’s...he’s toxic. First he arrests Yaku and nearly hangs him, they almost caught Kuroo and now all of them and Daichi and the Karasuno Knights are gone...and now this.” He gritted his teeth, his eyes held such burning intensity Akaashi was worried he would set the kitchen on fire. “We leave tonight. I’ll go in and help with the plan, think about what you guys will need, but we won’t bring much.” He placed his hand on Semi’s chilled forehead one more time before he stomped out of the room.

Semi’s wound was finally cleaned and sewn up, and Komi and Akaashi worked on bandaging his torso while Konoha and Onaga kept his body lifted slightly so they could slip the strips of white fabric underneath with ease. 

“Do you think it’s a good idea?” Komi asked tentatively, a droplet of sweat sliding down his face.

“No,” Akaashi answered curtly, “But it is the best idea in these circumstances.”

They all nodded and said nothing more on the matter.

 

As awareness stirred him from his deep slumber, Semi felt nauseous as his body jerked up and down and swayed with erratic movement. It felt like his body weighed as much as an anvil, and he was unsuccessful to even wiggle his finger. As the vestiges of sleep floated away, his brain began to work more fluidly. He sucked in deeper breaths as his head cleared, his eyelids fluttering open only to find darkness shrouding him completely. He could hear muffled voices whispering all around him, and his heart began to pound quickly as he began to panic. He couldn’t remember much before he blacked out, but he’d worry about that later. He bit his lip as he tried to force his fingers to curl, every movement accomplished stiffened his body with an unimaginable pain coming from his stomach. A whine escaped as tears formed in his eyes without his consent.

“Shh, did you hear that?”

“What?”

“I think he’s waking up.”

“Shit...let’s hurry, we can stop over there and talk to him, but not here.”

He was jostled more as he realized he was strapped across a makeshift litter, being carried by several men at least, a couple more he sensed trailing behind. His jaw clenched as he realized that whatever situation he was in, he would be unable to defend himself through his weakness and pain. Vulnerability was not a feeling he had ever experienced, and it filled him with dread as he continued to breathe through his unease.

At last the shoddy stretcher underneath him was laid down on the ground, and the heavy covering was lifted off his face. It was still dark, the moon covered by a blanket of impenetrable clouds, but just light enough that he could see shadows hovering over him.

“Yeah...he’s waking up,” One person said, the whisper masking the identity of the speaker.

“That’s a good sign, he  _ may  _ live.”

“Way to bring the mood down.”

His neck began to prickle as the strange voices discussed his life or impending death as if he wasn’t even there. He began to rock from side to side as he tested his restraints, hot tears leaking out the corners of his eyes as he fought through the pain. A groaning sob burst from his lips as his heart pounded against his chest and all at once he stopped. Large rough hands cupped his face, the heat from them melting away cold chill and the tenderness soothing his runaway mind. The pads of the man’s thumbs swiped across his cheeks to remove the tendrils of tears as he soothed Semi with a gentle shushing sound. As he breathed deeply to slow down his heart rate, the face belonging to the hands hovered over his own so his eyes could pick out the details in the darkness, his fear melting into a flood of relief as familiarity dawned through the recesses of his mind

“Semi! Seeeeemiiiiiii,” Bokuto whispered loudly in his face, the hot breath smelling vaguely of ale filling his senses. “Can you see me? Can you hear me?”

A weak chuckle tumbled out of his lips. “Yes, Bokuto...not even a dead man could ignore you.” He heard a few muted chuckles scattered about in the shifting shadows around him. He realized that most of faceless strangers must have been part of Bokuto’s crew, and that thought also eased some of his worries. 

Bokuto’s face lifted into a huge grin. “Whew, what a relief! Ok, don’t move. You’re really injured and we’re sneaking you out of the city. We’re already past the wall but there are still a lot of guards wandering about the roads.”

Semi blinked in confusion, his panic creeping back into his stomach. “Why are you taking me out of the city? Why would I need to hide, where’s the rest of the Royal Guard? Why am I in so much pain, did I get injured? What about--”

Bokuto clapped his hand over Semi’s mouth as he shushed him, his face wincing at the questions. “Easy, easy. Um...stuff happened, you probably don’t remember right now. You’ve been stabbed, but you’re safe now and we’ve patched you up but you gotta lay still and relax or you’ll open yourself up again. We’ll talk more later but for now you just gotta trust us, okay? Do you trust me, Semi?”

Semi stared up into Bokuto’s face and after a moment nodded cautiously. Bokuto smiled warmly down at him.

“Good, now just relax and don’t make any noise.”

“Bokuto-san, he should drink some water.”

“Oh yeah, here,” Bokuto whispered as he gripped the dripping water skin and tipped it over Semi’s chapped lips, his hand supporting the back of Semi’s to help him drink. “You also probably need to rest some more. We’re gonna cover you back up to keep you warm, your body was pretty cold, still is really, but we’ll keep you safe. Okay?”

Semi finished gulping down the refreshing water and laid his head back with a deep intake of air. 

“...Okay.”

The blanket rose up and covered his face once more. It was unnatural to trust his entire well being to someone else, particularly a boisterous tavern owner and his crew, but he was too weak to care. As his body was lifted into the air to commence with the rickety journey, he let his eyes fall shut as he succumbed to another bout of sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, so I've basically been posting a chapter a day for like a week! Aaaaand that's done, it finally caught up with me so chapters from now on will be spaced further out, but I'll try not to leave it on any awful cliffhangers like I have a couple times. Don't forget to leave me comments to let me know you're still reading and what you think, I appreciate each and every one of them! I may also be adding some various one shots so don't forget to check those out!


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Ssssstop, Tetsu!” He chuckled as he tried to take a breath.  
> “Nope, unless you make it up to me,” He teased, his face hovering just above his, his mischievous smirk fading into a tender smile.  
> “Oh really?” Daichi replied, his voice lowering to a more lustful tone. “What would you have me do?”  
> “Mmmmm,” Was all Kuroo said as he kissed him gently, smiles still playfully lingering on their lips.   
> A knock on the door rudely echoed into the peaceful room. They both glared at it as it opened to reveal Suga standing in the doorway.  
> “Whoa, easy!” He laughed as he held his hands up in defense. “I take it I’m interrupting?”

Daichi’s eyes fluttered open as light grazed his face and bathed him in an intangible blanket of warmth. He could not quite make out the details of his room since they were vastly overshadowed by the sunbeams pouring through his window, showcasing dancing dust particles drifting lazily in the air. He smiled as he craned his neck so he could look down at the messy black hair tickling Daichi’s nose and flowing down like waves over the handsome face sleeping soundly underneath it. Kuroo did not snore like a normal man, it was more like a soft rumble, and Daichi nearly rolled his eyes as he likened it to the purr of a cat. Even with the little string of drool escaping his lips, Kuroo’s features were striking and Daichi relished the chance to watch him while he was blissfully unaware. His peaceful reverie was interrupted however by a black fluffball hopping up onto the pillow and immediately kneading the pillow with his dagger like claws.

“Meeeeeeow?” Shiro asked as he cocked his sweet head at Daichi.

“Shhhh, Tetsu’s still asleep,” He whispered.

The little kitten stopped the attempted murder of his pillow and blinked at him.

“MMMEEEEOOOOOOW?!” The cry bit through the room at an obnoxious volume.

“SHHHHHHH!” Daichi seethed as he reached over to knock the little jerk off his pillow, but stopped when he heard a groan from his sleeping lover. He glanced down to see Kuroo’s face in a comical grimace as he began to stretch his body, his eyes refusing to open.

“Whaaa was thah?” He murmured against Daichi’s chest as his body went back to being limp.

“I would have thought you of all people would know what _that_ was.”

Kuroo’s face scrunched in confusion and he lifted one eyelid just enough to peek out at the world. After some scanning he located the origin of the offending noise.

“A cat? When did you get a cat?”

Daichi chuckled. “I’ve had him for a while, I rescued him from the chaos of the banquet that night you stole the money from the Mausoleum.”

Kuroo’s smirk slid up his cheek as he remembered that eventful evening. “Ooooh yeah, that was great. But I didn’t see him that night I spent with you.”

“Oh, he hid when the guards burst in the room, and I think he was so freaked out he didn’t emerge til after you left.”

“Awww, poor little guy,” Kuroo cooed as he reached his hand out and smoothed over the glossy black fur. The kitten wasn’t afraid of him this time, and arched his back into the hand as the small fuzzy body vibrated with purrs. “Cuuuuute, what’s his name?”

“Shiro.”

Kuroo snorted, “Really?”

“I don’t wanna hear it.”

“Hey, speaking of which, what ever happened to Roar Roar?”

“He died a couple years after we left.”

“What? Noooooo, he was such a good dog! When he stopped trying to eat me of course.”

“Could you blame him?”

Kuroo gasped dramatically and began to flutter his fingers across Daichi’s ribs. Daichi writhed in fits of laughter as he tried to escape Kuroo’s reach.

“Ssssstop, Tetsu!” He chuckled as he tried to take a breath.

“Nope, unless you make it up to me,” He teased, his face hovering just above his, his mischievous smirk fading into a tender smile.

“Oh really?” Daichi replied, his voice lowering to a more lustful tone. “What would you have me do?”

“Mmmmm,” Was all Kuroo said as he kissed him gently, smiles still playfully lingering on their lips.

A knock on the door rudely echoed into the peaceful room. They both glared at it as it opened to reveal Suga standing in the doorway.

“Whoa, easy!” He laughed as he held his hands up in defense. “I take it I’m interrupting?”

“Yes,” grumbled Kuroo as his lower lip jutted out. “We were just getting started.”

Suga snorted, “Well, I’m glad you made it here okay, Kuroo, but there’s a lot we need to accomplish today and Daichi needs to get ready. The Knights of Johzenji will be arriving within the hour for their assignments, and they’ll need clear, stern instructions. People who think Karasuno’s rowdy have obviously never met them.” Suga continued talking as he fluttered about the room, drawing the drapes fully open and blinding the lazy lovers with piercing sunlight, and rummaging in the wardrobe for Daichi’s fresh clothes. “Now that the Cats have arrived, Daichi, you should think about how you want to utilize them if you can.”

Kuroo watched curiously as Suga chattered on and prepared things for Daichi. He glanced up and asked with a smirk, “Does this guy actually dress you?”

“No!”

Suga quirked an eyebrow in his direction.

“I mean...not always. Some of the outfits he picks out are a little complicated.” Kuroo chuckled deviously, and Suga turned away to hide his smile. “Come on, you don’t know what I suffer to look as good as I do.” That did earn some laughs as Kuroo buried his head into his chest, his back shaking under the chortles pouring out of him. With a deep furrowed brow Daichi shoved him away and slid out of bed, knowing if he didn’t soon Suga would literally drag him out.

 

When the Cats had arrived the night before, they chose to walk in the front gate so the Knights of Dateko were aware of their presence. To their great surprise they were received cordially and with a little relief, being informed that Master Daichi and his knights were constantly worried about their safety. After they entered the hold, they scattered to find a place to sleep, not even waiting for the Dateko Knights to find them appropriate housing. Kuroo of course made a beeline for the main manor house where Daichi was sure to be staying. Kenma, however, went straight to the stables. Knights took better care of their horses than even themselves at times, so it was a good bet that the structure would be warm and dry. He crept past the snoozing stable hand and shimmied up a rickety ladder to find the loft covered in spare hay. After fluffing up a particularly dense heap, he curled up into it so it flowed around him like a nest. Pulling his cloak closer around him, his hood shading his face, he fell fast asleep in the wake of the exhausting past few days.

The sun glinted through cracks in the planks lining the wall and falling in strips of light across Kenma’s face. He scrunched his nose at the sun’s audacity when his ears picked up a noise. His body stiffened, keeping perfectly still as he listened intently only to discover that the noise was a lively tune being whistled off tune.  The whistler gave up in favor of singing instead.

“Muckety muck muck, muckety muck muck, horses like to poop! I gotta clean it up real fast, so I can eat some...soup?” The voice giggled at the ridiculous song he made up on the spot and continued humming and singing out random phrases about his work.

Kenma cautiously slid to the edge of the loft and peered down. Just visible inside a stall below was a flash of orange hair. The Karasuno Knight who rescued him during the garden battle was dressed in a simple black tunic with orange trim, his shirt sleeves rolled up as he gripped onto a pitchfork and heaved it into the stall and then tossed it over his shoulder. The contents plopped into a wheelbarrow while a few bits bounced off and scattered across the barn floor from the force.

He continued watching the energetic young man with amusement. He realized with a start that he was smiling down at him, which was very uncharacteristic of himself. He sat up quickly and mushed his cheeks in with his palms, trying to squeeze the smile off if he could. He was so preoccupied with his own face he did not even realize that the singing had stopped, and the barn had grown silent.

Suddenly the knight’s face popped right up in front of him with a gasp.

“It’s you!”

Kenma shrieked and fell backwards onto a heap of hay, bits of straw wafting up into the air and settling down on top of him.

“Ahhh, sorry sorry!” The Knight cried as he scrambled the rest of the way up the ladder and hovered over him. “Are you okay?”

Kenma stared up at him with his big eyes and nodded. He watched as the knight gave him a relieved smile and wondered if his heart was pounding from being frightened or the way the knight seemed mimic the warmth of the sun itself through his expression.

“I’m Hinata, by the way! Hinata Shouyou!” He beamed as he held out his hand.

Kenma’s eyes flickered to the hand and back up to the knight’s expectant grin. A small smile curved on his lips as he reached his own hand out to accept it.

“I’m Kenma.”

“Oh yeah! I mentioned you to Daichi-san and he thought it was you I was talking about! I’m so glad you’re safe, we were all worried you’d get captured or killed or beaten or lost! Well, not lost, you guys know your way around, but there were still a lot of things to worry about. Is Kuroo-san back too?!”

Kenma nodded. “I think he went straight to Daichi.”

Hinata gave a loud happy sigh, “That’s good, he was really worried. So, what are you doing now?”

“I was sleeping.”

“Oh...did I wake you up?”

“No, the sun did first but I got up cuz I heard you.”

“Ah, I see...well I gotta get back to work, wanna join me?” Hinata laughed as Kenma looked at the pile of horse manure below and scrunched his face up. “No, no, you don’t have to work. You need your rest. I just mean do you wanna hang out with me while I work?”

Kenma’s face relaxed at the suggestion, and with a shy smile he nodded.

 

Morning stretched on as the entire place flowed with renewed purpose. Karasuno and the Knights of Dateko continued working together to prepare for the possible threat of invasion, as well as the arrival of knights from outlying villages there to support their endeavor. The Knights of Johzenji did arrive with fanfare, created entirely by themselves. One knight played a mandolin while another tooted on a flute as they entered the hold, their leader Terushima Yuuji strutting in front with a broad grin on his face. Kuroo observed from the against the back wall as Daichi struggled to keep them focused and subdued, keeping his mouth hidden behind his palm as he stifled a couple snorts. To his great disappointment their assignments sent them throughout the kingdom in smaller groups to guard each village from wandering Nohebi Knights and out of Daichi’s hair completely.

He continued to follow like a stretched-out shadow hovering a few steps behind as Daichi moved throughout the village with purpose and confidence. He enjoyed seeing him like this, leading as he was meant to without any political intrigue to hold him back. It reminded him of when they were young, when he was astounded seeing a young boy give soldiers and servants firm but gentle orders and see them followed through without question. At that time Daichi was unlike anything he had ever seen, like the statues erected of their glorious past kings with their faces forward and chests puffed out, but real and warm and in much smaller form. And unlike the faces of everyone who swarmed around Kuroo like predatory fish, Daichi stood out among them with his brown eyes full of compassion, his firm hand stretched out toward him like a rope cast out of a ship in a raging storm to a submerged man nearly lost to the monstrous waves.

He had been surprised that morning as he was introduced around to discover how popular his gang and himself were, even among the lords of the villages. They saw them as the people’s saviors, though he really didn’t know how he felt about that. He would never admit it out loud, but even though he cared about every person who was hurting and hungry, he mainly did it to be like Daichi, the boy who saved him.

After a brief meeting in the manor with Suga, the grey-haired man eyed him for a moment while Daichi was preoccupied with a few words with Lord Moniwa.

“Aren’t you bored just following him around?”

Kuroo grinned, “No way, it’s kinda fun seeing him be responsible. Plus I... even since we’ve been reunited we’ve hardly been able to spend time together. I’ll cool off eventually, but for now...I just wanna keep him in my sights.”

Suga’s face warmed with a fond smile. “I could see that, and I think it’s helped him immensely having you around him.”

“Really?”

“Oh yeah, well he was insanely distracted the last few days, worried that you had been captured or killed. And even though he knows you’re safe now, I think having your presence right behind him has increased his confidence.”

Kuroo felt his cheeks grow warm and nodded, his eyes sliding back over to Daichi. He must have sensed his gaze and glanced over in his direction, his lips instinctively spreading into a smile so high a little dimple pricked his cheek. How an expression could knock the wind completely out of Kuroo he would never figure out. He only hoped Daichi would do it sparingly or he’ll be doomed.

“My Lord, Master Daichi, an urgent message from Tokonami,” Bellowed Dateko’s head knight, Kamasaki Yasushi.

“What is it?” Moniwa asked as he hurried over to the knight.

“Apparently there are a few rabble-rousers that refuse to turn their back on the Prince, even when they’re going destitute...idiots.”

Moniwa frowned as he grasped the letter. His eyes flickered back and forth as he ingested every word. With a shake of his head he handed the slip of paper to Daichi.

“That’s basically it. They’re one of the most peaceful communities with hardly any knights to keep the peace. And they’re on the border of the Kingdom, they’ll need help.”

“Hmm...I think you’re right,” Daichi answered, his eyebrows furrowed as he scanned the letter himself. “But they don’t need just knights to keep peace, that may only exacerbate the issue. They need a diplomat to smooth things over with words.”

“A diplomat? Do we have one of those?” Moniwa asked with a wry smile.

“Luckily for us, I know someone particularly gifted in convincing stubborn people into his own point of view, though I’m not sure how I’ll survive without him.”

“Who?” Suga asked as he poked his head over Daichi’s shoulder to spy on the letter himself. Daichi chuckled and flicked the letter so it hit Suga in the face.

“You, of course.”

“Me?! You want me to go all the way to Tokonami and calm a raging hoard of citizens with pitchforks and torches all by myself?!”

“Hmm, I didn’t read that part, how did I miss the pitchforks?” Daichi pretended to reread the letter with a smirk.

“Daichi! Come on, why me?” Suga asked, his face and demeanor beginning to panic.

Daichi sighed and placed his hands firmly on his shoulders, looking his old friend in the eye. “Suga, take a deep breath. First of all, I won’t send you alone. I’ll send you with at least a couple knights, maybe even several. It’s just a few uneasy citizens who need to be soothed, reminded about what they’d be suffering right now if we should leave them to the Nohebi soldiers. Unless…” Daichi leaned back, slipping his hands from Suga’s shoulders and scratched the back of his head. “If you think you can’t handle it, maybe I should have someone else go?”

“What? Why can’t I handle it, who else would you even send?”

“Well, Ennoshita has many hidden talents, and he’s always been my protege. You’re right, Suga, I should send Ennoshita instead. You can stay here and rest— “

“Bullshit! Ennoshita can’t handle this, _I_ have to go, and don’t say another word about it, _Master_ Daichi.” Suga grumped and shuffled out of the Main Hall, grumbling about all the things he’ll have to pack.

“Smooth,” Kuroo said, chuckling behind him.

Daichi turned toward Lord Moniwa. “Could we count on a couple of your knights to escort him? I’ll send a couple of ours as well, that way neither of us are spread too thin.”

“That sounds acceptable. We’ll send Sasaya and Obara. Sir Kamasaki, can you give them the order?”

“Sure, sure, as you wish,” He answered and lumbered out without even a bow.

After a confused look from Daichi, Lord Moniwa shrugged, “That’s just his personality, you get used to it. He’s good at his job.”

With that subject settled Daichi left the manor to find Asahi and Nishinoya so he could ask them to attend Suga on his mission.

“Don’t you ever eat?” Kuroo asked as he fell in step beside him.

“Uh, yes. Usually I grab something in passing. Suga sometimes just sticks something in my mouth.”

“Got it, I’ll rig you up a little portable trough, so I can be sure you won’t pass out.”

Daichi laughed and gave him a nudge, which Kuroo leaned into and took the chance to nuzzle his hair with his nose. Luckily, they did not have to go far, finding Asahi and Nishinoya together, grooming some of their horses. Kuroo spaced out as Daichi explained the situation. His eyes wandered at the activity flowing around him when he heard some playful shouting. He walked a couple steps away and peered around a supply shed to gaze at a practice ring where a couple of Karasuno’s knights were practicing their swordsmanship against rigged up dummies. Kuroo had spied on the two a bit before in the city when they were wandering through the market, and he thought they were hilarious. The tall dark one was very skilled but not very good at dealing with emotions or positivity in general. His partner in crime was the little loveable ball of orange fluff bouncing beside him, oozing positivity and energy and Kuroo was surprised he could even keep his feet on the ground. He felt that common itch he got when he desperately wanted to tease someone, and he couldn’t wait to have a go at those two. He snickered when Angry-kun snagged the collar of Shrimpy and started to bellow in his face, the shorter one sticking his tongue out without a hint of being intimidated. Like a flash they separated and got back to work, swinging their swords with impressive skill. He watched transfixed for a few more minutes, and just as he was about to turn back his sharp golden eyes spotted a slender figure perched on the fence, watching the two knights practice. He squinted as he recognized the bright blonde hair floating softly in the wind.

“What the hell?” Kuroo said under his breath as he took a couple more steps closer, overwhelmed with curiosity. He almost couldn’t believe it was Kenma, but sure enough there was his best friend out in the open, in broad daylight. The reason Kenma was the best in their group at slinking around silently was because he did not like most people. The life of a poor orphan stealing to survive did not affect him the same as Kuroo and the others. He had some painful experiences that caused him to be extremely distrustful of new people. It took at least three years for him to warm up to Bokuto and Akaashi, but there he was on that fence, purely fascinated by the knights—No, _knight._ The expression on Kenma’s face was a rare one, a look of captivating wonder he typically reserved for when he was given a new game or toy in his youth, something to set his brain alive without having to interact with anyone or do any work. Kuroo watched as Kenma leaned forward, his hands gripping the wooden slat underneath him as his eyes followed Shrimpy like a cat eyeing up a twitching tail of yarn. When Kenma’s lips curled up in a smile, Kuroo’s brain exploded. He had to know what caused this change in his friend, and whatever it was, he hoped it would never go away.

“Tetsu?”

“Aaaaaayyy!!” He yelped as he whirled around, his hands in chopping formation.

Daichi’s eyes were wide from Kuroo’s reaction, but then he bent over in unrestrained laughter. Kuroo’s defensive stance eased into embarrassment, his cheeks growing hot. He suffered what seemed like an hour of his lover’s laughter at his expense until at last Daichi straightened and wiped the tears from his eyes.

“What was that?! Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine, you just startled me.”

“That’s what you do when you’re startled?”

“Yes— _No,_ I don’t know, I was just distracted.”

“By what?”

Kuroo’s grumpy face slipped into his trademark grin. He looked toward the knight’s practicing and pointed.

“Take a look...see anything interesting?”

Daichi shrugged and took the bait, gazing at where his two kouhai were doing their practices.

“That’s just Kageyama and Hinata. They always bicker like that but they’re actually good friends.”

“Oh, that’s sweet, but that’s not what I was talking about...keep looking.”

Daichi frowned and narrowed his eyes at the scene. Kuroo thought his concentration face was adorable, especially when he quirked his mouth to the side. Suddenly Daichi blinked his warm brown eyes. A smile began to curl on his lips as his whole face brightened.

“Is that Kenma?”

“Yeah...that’s him though I can hardly believe it myself. Look at his face!”

A rumbling chuckle rolled out of Daichi as he stroked his chin. “It looks like he’s enjoying the show.”

“Shrimpy?”

“Yeah, did Kenma say anything about the night we rescued you?”’

“Oh, you mean the night we were doing just fine and you threw yourself in danger to help us? Uh huh, I remember it well.”

Daichi frowned and glanced sideways at him. “Kenma nearly died that night. One of the knights almost stabbed him.”

Kuroo felt the wind fly out of his lungs. He turned to face Daichi, his eyebrows knitted together. “Kenma?! He didn’t say anything about it…”

“Would he though?”

Kuroo sighed and shook his head. “No, you’re right, he wouldn’t. How did you know?”

Daichi nudged his face in the direction of the knights. “Hinata mentioned it the other day. He told me he rescued him and then Kenma rode with him when we escaped. I got more details from Suga, who as you know has details on everybody,” he said with a smirk and roll of his eyes.

Kuroo huffed out a laugh. “Well, I’m really grateful to your little Shrimpy. No wonder Kenma’s looking at him like he’s a god.”

“Yeah...it’s definitely the start of something,” Daichi mumbled, his face far away with a knowing grin.

“What do you mean?”

“Hmm? Nothing. We should get going, I’ve got more assignments to give and I think I’ve got some jobs for your Cats.”

They had only just entered the Manor when Yaku chased after them.

“Daichi, Kuroo, wait up!”

“Yaku, what is it?” Daichi asked, worried thoughts flooding his mind when he saw the pale look on Yaku’s face.

“You’re not going to believe who just showed up. Kai and Fukunaga just walked in the main gate with Bokuto and his entire crew.”

Kuroo groaned, “What the hell, I told them to stay in town and spy for us, they hardly stayed a day!”

“They had good reason to leave, I don’t think they’d survive there much longer. There was...someone else they brought with them.”

Kuroo and Daichi shot each other a quick look, and Daichi turned back to Yaku expectantly. “Who is it?”

“Semi Eita.”

“What?! You’re kidding, did he defect? I can’t believe it.”

“Well…” Yaku frowned, scratching his head as he chose his words carefully, “I’m not sure it was in his plan to do so.”

“What do you mean, Yaku, otherwise why is he here?” Kuroo asked, getting a little irritated at the lack of information. They all jumped when the front doors swung open as Lev barged in, his face brimming with urgency.

“Kuroo-san! Did Yaku-san tell you? Semi Eita is dead!”

The words slammed into Daichi as if he had run straight into a stone wall at full speed. He could hardly breathe as he contemplated Lev’s words, but luckily they were thrown off again when Yaku spun around and landed a foot right into Lev’s ass.

“You _idiot_ , he’s not dead, he’s only injured! This is just one reason at the end of a long list of reasons why we don’t send you out on reconnaissance missions!”

“Ow, ow, ow, but Yaku-san, he’s all stretched out and limp, he looked dead!”

Yaku began to growl, but Daichi stepped forward sternly with his hand up.

“Tell me plainly, Yaku. What’s going on?”

Yaku sighed, “Semi’s injured badly, he almost did die apparently. I don’t know much more than that, so you’ll have to go out and see. I just wanted to let you guys know immediately that they were here.”

“Thank you,” Daichi breathed out, relieved to hear Semi was still alive. He turned to Kuroo and they gave each other a quick nod and hurried toward the door, sweeping past Yaku and Lev. It didn’t take long after leaving the Manor to find a crowd formed near the front gate. The Dateko soldiers tried to keep the villagers and knights from outside back as Kamasaki stood in front of the newcomers, questioning them firmly. As Yaku had said, Bokuto and his entire gang were present, covered in black traveling cloaks and decked out in enough weapons to take on a small army. In the middle of the crew was a long stretcher with a person laying on it, his ashy blonde hair just visible above a blanket, with three men kneeling next to him: Kai, Fukunaga, and Hongo-san (to Daichi’s astonishment). Yuki and Kaori were also present, the former with two lethal looking katanas strapped to her back. When Bokuto spotted Kuroo approaching, he barreled past a grouchy Kamasaki and launched himself at him, nearly knocking him off his feet.

As Kuroo attempted to stay on his feet under the extra weight, Daichi snickered but kept moving toward the crowd.

“Master Daichi, you better stay back,” Kamasaki requested, his hands in the air. “These new arrivals could be spying for the Prince, and they’re armed to the teeth.”

Daichi shook his head and waved Kamasaki aside. “It’s fine, no one here would spy for the Prince. Even if they were, wouldn’t they be a tad subtler about it?”

Kamasaki stepped away, grumbling under his breath, as Daichi walked forward to greet Akaashi. “You guys okay? We got your message, at least I think it was from you.”

“Yes, I wish we could have put in more information, but we couldn’t risk it in case it got intercepted. Of course, that was before…” He trailed off as he looked behind him at the stretcher. Daichi nodded and patted him on the shoulder, moving closer so he could kneel next to it. As he did, Hongo-san gave him a slight bow.

“Master Daichi, it’s a pleasure to see you again. I had heard a while back you had come to the city, but you never stopped by the shop.”

“I’m sorry, Hongo-san, believe it or not I had plans to. Things got complicated very quickly,” He admitted with a grimace as his eyes traveled down. “Sir Semi...are you alive?”

Semi’s pale face had been watching everything around him with almost no emotion, but at the question he cocked an eyebrow at Daichi. “Hilarious as always, Master Daichi. But yes, for now I am alive.”

Daichi smiled warmly at him, relieved there seemed to be no lingering animosity from their last meeting. “Can you tell me what happened?”

Semi’s face fell, wincing not from pain but the memory of the cause. He licked his chapped lips and took a deep breath to prepare himself. “I was stabbed...by the Prince. Then he threw me from his balcony.”

Daichi’s eyes widened as he sucked in a breath. The idea that the Prince would try to murder his own knight and oldest friend was almost unimaginable. But he could see the torment raging inside Semi, and he knew he couldn’t doubt the verity of the statement. As the shock began to wane, a fire of rage was ignited inside in its place. Daichi tensed his jaw as the anger grew, but he took a deep breath to regain his composure for Semi’s sake. He reached his hand out and gently grasped his shoulder.

“I’m so sorry, Semi. We’re going to make this right somehow. For now, let’s get you some better treatment. They have an amazing doctor here.”

Semi nodded and then flinched when a shadow fell across them.

“Oh no, poor baby needs some pampering! Heaven forbid he get _stabbed_. Hey Semi, I’ll show you mine if you show me yours,” Kuroo taunted as he began to pull up his shirt. Daichi reached up and grabbed his hand.

“ _Tetsu_ ,” He warned sternly. “That’s enough.”

Kuroo relinquished his shirt but crossed his arms grumpily. “Why? Daichi he stabbed me! He deserves it.”

“Imagine if it was Kenma who stabbed you instead of him, would it have changed how painful it was?”

Kuroo opened his mouth but shut it immediately, thinking the better of it. Instead he clicked his tongue and turned his face away.

Daichi sighed and shook his head, turning back to Semi whose eyes were flickering back and forth between him and Kuroo. “You’re gonna be fine. Let’s get you settled in. And Hongo-san, we could really use your expertise as far as forging new weapons.”

“I’ll be happy to be of service to you, Master Daichi. Anything to hurt that little shit sitting on the throne.”

Daichi smiled and then waved over Tsukishima and Yamaguchi who were standing nearby. “Can you both take Sir Semi to the medical quarters, and make sure the doctor sees him immediately.” They nodded and picked him up gingerly, Hongo following behind to find the smith.

Daichi stood up and faced Kuroo, who since being lectured was sulking in silence.

“Tetsu,” Daichi said softly as he reached his hand out and gripped his arm. Kuroo flinched slightly but didn’t pull away. “Are you angry with me?”

Kuroo’s eyes flicked to Daichi with none of the typical teasing gleam or chipperness. They were narrowed at him in frustration; it was a look he had not seen in five years and he hated it. But the likelihood of them never fighting was almost laughable, so Daichi waited patiently for Kuroo to answer.

“I’m not angry, just...do you really not care that that knight over there nearly killed me?”

“Of course I care,” Daichi answered quickly, slipping both his hands along Kuroo’s upper arms and rubbing them gently. “I’d like to think I would always be an honorable person, but if he had killed you...I think I would look like a different person. I probably would have tried to seek revenge, even though I’ve always believed in justice over revenge. But he didn’t kill you, and I am so thankful for it. Semi and the Prince were best friends in their youth. It was well known that they were as close as two could be, there was a rumor even that they were more than that. Don’t spread that around, especially not now, but do you understand? It wouldn’t be as if Kenma had stabbed you...it would be as if I had stabbed you.” As Daichi’s gentle voice flowed over Kuroo, he had visibly eased his discontent and preened from the physical attention. But when Daichi spoke the last part, his breath caught as he pondered how that kind of betrayal would affect him.

He shook his head, refusing to even think about such thoughts. “Ok, I’m sorry. I won’t bother him about it anymore.”

Daichi’s hands slid down and grasped Kuroo’s hands, pulling them up to his lips. With his eyes locked on Kuroo’s, he pressed his lips gently along his knuckles. Kuroo nearly fell to the ground in a heap of squishy limbs when he felt Daichi’s soft, warm lips encase his fingers. A needy whine escaped his throat, and Daichi chuckled deeply against his hands, sending his hot breath across the sensitive skin of his hands.

“ _Daichi_ ,” He whispered as he tucked his head down, hoping to get those lips on his own when they both stopped, feeling a large presence beside them.

“Ahhh, it’s so romantic, isn’t it Akaashi?” Bokuto sighed dramatically, a dopey grin spreading across his face.

“Yes, it is, Bokuto-san...it’s almost as if they forgot they were standing in the middle of a village surrounded by other knights,” Akaashi answered next to him, a smirk playing on his lips.

Bokuto groaned and draped himself over Akaashi’s shoulders, “AkaaAAAshiiii, when is a handsome knight gonna come and sweep me off my feet.”

Akaashi snorted, trying to keep himself contained, “I know how you feel. Maybe one day we’ll meet our true loves and be as oblivious to social etiquette as this darling couple.”

“Ok, ok, you guys proved your point,” Kuroo growled, waving them away. “By the way...what is that?”

Bokuto cocked his head as he straightened up. “What’s what?”

“ _That?!_ ” Kuroo stressed as he pointed to the giant axe on Bokuto’s back.

“Oh...you mean Sayuri?”

“You named this monstrosity Sayuri? And why is it strapped to your back?”

“I’m not the one who named her, but why wouldn’t I have her? You wouldn’t believe how many Nohebi soldiers we nearly ran into on the way here, we may have had a fight.”

“You can use that thing?”

Bokuto opened his mouth to retort, but Akaashi raised a hand to silence them both. “That’s enough, or this’ll go on all day. Yes, Bokuto-san is fully capable of wielding this axe, otherwise I would not have allowed it. Perhaps we’ll share with you one day why he is even able to do it but now isn’t the time. I’m sure there are things we need to--”

“Bokuto-saaaan!!!” Hinata yelled as he dashed up to larger man.” Whaaaaaaaa, that axe is so cool! I thought you didn’t train?!”

Bokuto winced and ran a hand through his black and silver spikes, “Oh sorry about that Chibi-chan, I may have fibbed a bit on that. I’ll explain later but I didn’t want any of the Shiratorizawa Knights knowing I could fight. We wanted to live peacefully in the city.”

Hinata nodded vigorously, “I understand! Will you show me how to use it?!”

“Oh!” Daichi interrupted, sliding his arm in between and turning Hinata slightly away from Bokuto, “Hinata, you shouldn’t spend too much time training on other weapons. Didn’t Ukai-San say he wanted you to work on your swordsmanship?”

Hinata wilted and pursed his lips. “Yes...he did.”

Bokuto peeked his head around Daichi. “That’s okay, Chibi-chan! I can use swords too, we can spar together!”

Hinata perked back up again and leapt into the air. “Yay! I get to train with Bokuto-saaaaaaan!”

Daichi was beginning to wonder where Kageyama was when he spotted him a few feet away talking to Akaashi. His blue eyes were wide and sparkling as Akaashi spoke quietly to him in his usual polite manner, a small smile playing on his lips. Kenma had completely disappeared, but that was no surprise.

“Hinata, Kageyama, why don’t you two find somewhere for Bokuto and his crew to sleep? I’ll speak with Lord Moniwa about finding a room for Yukie and Kaori in the manor, so they don’t have to bunk with any men.

“Much appreciated Master Daichi!” Yukie called few feet away with a giggle.

With everyone receiving assignments they all wandered off, leaving Daichi and Kuroo to themselves for a moment.

“Just when I thought things were calming down…” Daichi said as he yawned and gave a stretch. As soon as his arms were in the air, his stomach growled.

Kuroo laughed, “Ok, Your Majesty, time to get you something to eat.”

“Not yet, I really have to--”

“Nooooooope,” Kuroo said as he wrapped his arm around Daichi’s shoulders and ushered him back to the Manor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay I'm back! Chapters will now come more frequently, but probably not every day. I now have a cap of 20 chapters, but that is tentative as it plays out. You're all very lucky btw, I nearly ended this chapter at Lev saying Semi was dead, ha ha ha! But I figured I need to ease up on the awful cliffhangers (though it probably won't be the last, mwah ha ha). As always comments are appreciated, thank you all for reading!!


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "As Daichi shrugged out of his jacket and draped it over the bed, he paused. A chill seeped down his spine, setting the hairs on the back of his neck straight up. He knew he was being watched, and not by his surreptitious lover, either. "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *NSFW* warning!! This chapter may be a bit of an emotional roller coaster, be prepared!

Sweat slipped from Daishou’s brow as he rushed through the silent corridors. His head throbbed as his thoughts swirled in his mind, his body aching from the lack of sleep. Since Sir Semi was branded a traitor several days ago, even more tasks had fallen on him by the Prince to keep the peace within the city, instead of relying on the rest of the Royal Guard. He was in charge of the manhunt to find Semi since his attempt to end the Prince’s life, as well as continue sending out his own men to collect taxes and keep the rest of the Kingdom in line. Unfortunately, the rest of the Kingdom wasn’t cooperating, and his men were not returning, or if they were it was beaten and empty handed.

The news that he was the last loyal Lord to the Prince enraged His Majesty, and filled Daishou with a sense of dread. All those years ago when he met Satori and they set their plans in motion, he never would have believed it would go this far or get this...dirty. Since Semi’s disappearance there had not been one night without him waking in the ungodly hours of the morning with his heart pounding and sweat coating his back. His dreams weren’t filled with his enemies, just himself transforming into a monster, snarling and tearing through a labyrinth made of hedges filled with thorns. For hours afterward, he would dwell on it wondering if there was any way to claw his way out of the hole he had dug.

He rubbed his swollen eyes as he neared the Prince’s door. He stopped just outside of it, ignoring the presence of the two guards. He wondered what went through Semi Eita’s head the day he stood there. Did he even consider that he may not walk back through it? Daishou didn’t believe for a moment that the honest, stern Sir Semi would ever try to kill anyone in cold blood, and certainly not the Prince. He’d never seen anyone so absurdly devoted, and even to Daishou it was sickening that it should be treated with such disdain.

The Royal Guard and the rest of the Shiratorizawa soldiers had remained oddly quiet about the whole ordeal. They seemed worried and puzzled, but did not say a word out loud. Daishou thought it was the smartest thing they’ve done so far. The Prince would not tolerate even the slightest hint of a rebellion at this point.

With a deep breath he wiped his forehead on his sleeve and nodded to the guards who stepped aside politely. He moved his right foot forward though it felt like he was wading through water. Every bit of him was resisting the presence of the Prince, but he couldn’t run away, not right now anyways. He knocked and waited for just a moment before he heard the Prince’s voice say he could enter.

As he walked over the threshold of the Prince’s suite, he saw that the Prince was at his desk rifling through some messages that were wrinkled from being pinched between his fingers. He held them up and dropped them in disgust.

“Messages from every Lord in the Kingdom declaring that they will no longer follow my rule, and will follow my nephew instead until the King returns. What do you think, Daishou?”

“I think they’re a wicked bunch of ingrates, Your Majesty. It’s wrong to break apart the Kingdom in a time of war, and I’m sure they’re just trying to take advantage of the situation.”

The Prince leaned back in his chair, his finger resting against his chin. “Hmm, perhaps. Have you anything new to report?”

The dread pulsated with new vigor through Daishou. He felt like soon his body would be made up of sweat, pain and dread instead of flesh, blood and water. “Yes, Your Majesty. With all the Lords in unity against us, they have kept our soldiers from performing their duties. Troops we send out either come back with no money collected and beaten, or they do not return at all. Besides the messages in your hand, none of the Lords are communicating to us, so we are cut off completely. Merchants have also stopped arriving, so trade in the city has been almost nonexistent.” Daishou took a deep breath to steady his nerves, preparing himself for anything the Prince would say.

“Do you think they’re right, Lord Daishou?” The Prince said quietly, staring up at a large painting above his desk.

_Yes, of course they are._

“No, Your Majesty, of course not. They are traitors to the crown.”

Daishou flinched when the Prince’s eyes turned to him and studied him for a few moments. Then the Prince smiled and rose from his chair. “Come here, Daishou. It’s a lovely morning, despite all the atrocities taking place in the Kingdom. Autumn is not the best time for the garden, but there are still some lovely colors to be seen. Come!”

Daishou hesitantly joined him on the open balcony and felt the sun hit his skin, almost too hot against his pale skin. As he gazed out into the garden, he wondered how long it had been since he observed anything of nature, and even with the Prince’s presence beside him it had a calming effect on his soul.

“Ahh, this is nice, isn’t it. Oh, it’s nice seeing someone wander through the garden, it’s been vacant for much too long. Such a lovely young woman too, she fits in among the trees and flowers.”

Daishou blinked and narrowed his eyes into the garden to see what the Prince was talking about. Sure enough, there was a young lady walking through the garden. No, a _beautiful_ young woman with long flowing brown hair, bangs grazing her perfect eyebrows above her bright, shining eyes. Daishou’s dry lips parted in a gasp as recognition pierced him like a sword through his stomach. The dread no longer pulsated, it slammed into him like a tidal wave.

“She missed you _so_ much, Daishou, the poor thing,” The Prince’s voice slithered into his ear as if the devil himself was hovering by his shoulder. “When I wrote to her asking if she’d like to visit she jumped at the chance, arriving some time last night. Well, aren’t you happy to see her, Lord Daishou? Aren’t you going to thank me for bringing her here where we can keep an eye on her?”

The Prince’s tone was overly friendly, but Daishou caught his meaning. If the Prince didn’t have him in his clutches before, he certainly did now. There was no escape, not while soldiers he thought belonged to him were a step behind Mika, the only person he truly cared about beside himself. He swallowed though his throat was as dry and barren as a lonesome desert.

“Yes, thank you, Your Majesty. Your kindness never fails to surprise me.”

“Wonderful! So happy I could reward you for your loyalty. You should go down and see her, but _first_ ,” His voice lowered to a velvety tone with poison hidden under every word, “What shall we do about my naughty nephew?”

 

Daichi shlumped into his room and shut the door, leaning back against it with a heavy sigh. It had been a week since Bokuto’s crew arrived and things were busy as ever. Semi was thankfully healing and getting stronger by the day and was able to give them a lot more information about standard procedures of the Nohebi Knights and any changes in the city that they would need to know. Besides the first day when Kuroo was basically his shadow, they had hardly spent any time in each other’s company except when they both fell into bed thoroughly exhausted. Daichi had naturally put Kuroo in charge of reconnaissance around the City, placing his men at strategic points and sending messages back to Kuroo on any developments. Daichi was happy to share his bed with Kuroo, but he couldn’t wait until they were able to just talk, snuggle and maybe do other things. His cheeks began to warm at the thought, but shoved himself off the door and tried to put it out of mind. He knew their time was likely to get even busier, so he had to enjoy whatever passing moments they were given.

He walked over to the bed and began unbuttoning his wool coat. Shiro fluttered his eyes open and gave a sweet mew as a greeting.

“Hey Shiro,” Daichi said softly with a smile. “Did you keep the bed warm for me?”

“Meeeow!” He chirped and stretched his long front paws out, clawing at the bedspread as he flexed his paws.

As Daichi shrugged out of his jacket and draped it over the bed, he paused. A chill seeped down his spine, setting the hairs on the back of his neck straight up. He knew he was being watched, and not by his surreptitious lover, either. Shiro picked up on the atmosphere of the room and sprang to his feet, his back arched like a horseshoe, his tail fluffed in alarm. Daichi breathed in deep and smoothed his jacket out before straightening up slowly. Every sense of his was keen as gazed about the room, looking for anything out of place. Something shifted in his peripheral vision, and Shiro began to hiss and hop back on the bed.

Daichi whirled around in time to narrowly evade a jagged blade that nearly went straight into his back. He grabbed the arm attached to the long knife, keeping it locked enough to get a look at the man. He was covered in black, even wearing a mask over his face. His eyes widened in surprise at being grabbed, but narrowed in less than a heartbeat. He shoved against Daichi, knocking him back enough for him to loosen his grip on his arm. The assassin snapped his foot out and caught Daichi in the stomach, and he fell back onto the bed with a grunt.

His eyes flew open just in time to see the assassin regrip his knife and lunge for him. Daichi swung his leg around and shoved the hand, plunging the knife into his shirt sleeve and into the mattress, narrowly missing his arm. Daichi chopped his hand down on the assassin’s arm, and the man cried out as he released his grip on the blade that was shoved into the mattress. Daichi yanked his arm free, his sleeve tearing quickly, and he swung his fist right into the face of the assassin. He fell back and crashed into a small table holding Daichi’s water basin and a vase of water. The assassin shook his head and immediately found his focus. Daichi lunged for him to pin him down, but the assassin grabbed the vase beside him and crashed it into Daichi’s face.

The porcelain cut into his cheek and knocked him senseless to the ground, falling limp and completely defenseless. The assassin swung his legs up to snap his whole body into the air, landing on his feet. He ran for the knife sticking out of the bed when the door flew open. The assassin barely even turned at the sound when a foot caught his chest with enough force to send him down to the floor. Kuroo landed expertly on top of him, his eyes intense with rage. His long legs pinned down the assassin’s lower half, his left hand immediately settling on the assassins covered throat and pinching just the right spot to cut off his air supply. The man writhed underneath him, desperate for air as he clawed at Kuroo’s arm, but it didn’t budge. Kuroo clenched his jaw as he tightened even more til the man’s flailing limbs began to lose their vigor. He watched as the man’s eyes began to fall back when he released his fingers, slipped off the man and flipped him over like a rag doll. The man desperately gasped for air against the floor as Kuroo shoved his face down with one hand, the other snapping the man’s hands against his back and shoving his knee against them to keep him still. He leaned down so his lips were just hovering above the man’s ear.

“If you move, try to escape, or try to hurt the man I love again, _you will regret it_ ,” he hissed, and the man underneath him shivered and gave a slight nod.

Kamasaki and a couple Dateko knights poured in and slid next to Kuroo to take hold of the assassin. Kuroo stepped aside and lunged for Daichi, who was just beginning to shift and regain consciousness.

“You guys should strip him down right now,” Kuroo told them as he tenderly slipped his hands underneath Daichi’s bleeding face to lift it.

“What? Why would we do that?” Kamasaki asked as he was about to slap handcuffs on the man’s wrists.

“Cuz he’s an assassin, that dagger’s probably not the only weapon he has on him. He probably has a lot hidden in various places. Don’t touch the blades, they’re probably poisonous.” As soon as Kuroo said it, his eyes widened and flicked to Daichi’s shirt sleeve that had been torn by the blade. He gently laid Daichi on his back and grabbed his arm, inspecting it carefully to see if the blade had nicked his skin. His heart was bounding against his chest as his eyes checked over every ounce of Daichi’s skin, his thumbs softly caressing it.

“Tetsu, I’m fine,” Daichi whispered, his other hand tugging at Kuroo’s sleeve. Kuroo set his arm down and brought his hands up to Daichi’s cheeks. Small tendrils of blood crept from the cuts, and the cheek itself was already starting to swell, but Kuroo sighed in relief that he was going to be okay. He stared into Daichi’s deep brown eyes, losing himself before he heard a throat clear behind him. Kuroo turned and flinched at the sight of the naked assassin with his wrists clapped together in cuffs, his face bright red.

“Why is he naked?”

“You told me to strip him down!”

“Did you have to do it in here? Take him out in the hall, I’ve got an injured man here! A ugly sight like that could kill him!”

Kamasaki growled and turned to look at the two guards hovering in the doorway. “You, find a blanket to wrap around him til we get him to the dungeons. And you, collect the knives carefully and make sure you don’t touch the blades. _Now!_ ” The guards obeyed immediately and Kamasaki shoved the prisoner to the door. Over his shoulder he called back to them, “I’ll send the doctor in as soon as I can to check you out, Master Daichi.”

“Thank you,” He grunted weekly as he tried to sit up. Kuroo wrapped his arm around his back and kept him stable. Slowly they were able to get Daichi to his feet and onto the edge of the bed to wait for the doctor. They said nothing, too much information and emotion whirling through their heads that a coherent sentence could not be formed. It didn’t matter though; the sentiment being felt through Kuroo’s fingertips as they stroked the side of Daichi’s face that wasn’t bleeding. He knelt in front of Daichi, looking up at his expression to be sure he was fine. Daichi’s face softened into a smile, and he leaned down to brush his lips across Kuroo’s forehead.

“I’m okay Tetsu, really. Thank you for saving me.”

Kuroo squeezed his eyes shut and wrapped his arms around Daichi’s waist. He drew in a shuddering breath, trying not to break down in front of the man who nearly died.

There was a soft knock at the door, and Kuroo released Daichi and turned to wave the doctor in, wiping a couple stray tears from his eyes.

“Come in, Oiwake sensei. Please check him over good.”

“Calm down, Kuroo-kun,” the older man grunted as he settled his bag down on the bed and quickly surveyed Daichi’s face with his sharp eyes, his narrow eyebrows furrowed low. “Master Daichi is stronger than you think, aren’t ya Kid?” He said as he gave Daichi a firm pat on the back, earning a grunt out of the other man.

“Ahem, yes, I’ll be fine,” Daichi winced.

As quick as lightning the doctor cleaned up his cuts and placed small bandages across the cuts to stop the bleeding. As he worked, Kuroo rushed about the room, checking every nook and cranny for any assassins lingering or any potential entrance for one. After another quick once over of Daichi’s body to make sure he wasn’t cut by the blade, the doctor ordered him to go ahead and get some rest. He assured them both that security would be very thick, and they’ll have nothing to worry about. Kuroo was still fluttering about the room as the doctor stepped out, shutting the door behind him. Daichi watched him for a moment, sensing the frustration and fear rising in the other man the more he moved about.

“Tetsu, that’s enough.”

Kuroo ignored him and flung open the window, looking around at the wall above and below.

“ _Tetsu_ ,” Daichi called more firmly and Kuroo paused. He brought himself back in and shut the window, bolted it and drew the curtains over it. He rushed over to the bed, but instead of stopping he flung himself to the floor and looked under the bed.

Daichi groaned and buried his throbbing face in his hands. “Anything down there?” He mumbled from between his fingers.

“No,” Kuroo called from the floor, “Just one freaked out cat.” He slid up to his feet and was about to move away when Daichi grabbed his arm.

“That’s enough, there’s no one else here. It’s not your fault Tetsu.”

“Yes, it is!” He yelled back, his face contorted in anger. “It is my fault! I found you again and I wasn’t going to leave you alone, but I did. You nearly died!” He paced back and forth in front of him, his energy spiking in his rage.

“You can’t stay by me every second, that’s ridiculous. And you did save my life, in case you forgot!”

“I was almost too late! If I had been a few seconds later he--” Kuroo choked up as he paused. He looked down at Daichi, his chest heaving, and his face pained with the flood of emotions. In the blink of an eye he lunged for him, his lips shoving against Daichi’s as he pinned him back onto the mattress. Daichi winced in pain, but he wasn’t about to stop Kuroo as he wrapped his arms around his shoulders and gripped into them. Their mouths opened and let their tongues slide against each other as they shifted their faces together, breathing each other in as their hearts threatened escape from their chests. Their hands began to tug each other’s clothes off, and after a flurry of yanking, grunting, and shoving they were finally naked and their bodies entwining back around each other. Kuroo reached his arms under Daichi and lifted him further up onto the bed, not breaking the messy kisses even for a moment. Once Daichi’s head was gently set on his pillow, Kuroo lifted for a moment. His hand slid up until his fingertips were grazing Daichi’s lips.

“Open up,” He ordered Daichi, his eyes like two blazing fires as he stared down at him. Daichi was rarely bossed around by anyone, especially not by Kuroo. But in that moment under Kuroo’s intense gaze he was insanely turned on by it, and with his eyes heavy lidded he parted his lips, allowing Kuroo’s fingers to slip into his hot, wet mouth. He closed his lips over them and slicked his tongue over every digit with a moan. With Kuroo’s naked body up against him, he could feel his member grow even harder as he did it. Kuroo gave a little whine as he properly coated his fingers with a few teasing grazes of his teeth and tongue. He released the fingers with a pop and then gasped as Kuroo’s mouth crashed over his. As their lips danced over each other, Kuro brought his slicked-up hand down and nestled it against Daichi’s ass. He slid a finger along it until he reached Daichi’s entrance. Without hesitation he began to circle it, slowly working it in. Daichi gasped as his finger began to enter, releasing Kuroo’s lips.

“Shh, keep breathing,” Kuroo whispered in his ear, taking the opportunity to graze it with his teeth. Daichi moaned from all the sensations as Kuroo proceeded to attack his neck with kisses and gentle bites. It didn’t take long til he was used to one finger and strange pulses of pleasure began to surge from the area. Soon Kuroo moved onto two fingers, his passion consistently teetering between his desire to be gentle and his desperation to enter the man underneath him. He scissored and curled his fingers inside Daichi’s searing heat as his mouth worked its way around his throat and down is chest. Sweat was beginning to collect between their bodies, and they slipped them together to feel every igniting sensation they could discover. Daichi threw his head back with a gasp as Kuroo’s tongue slid around his nipple. Kuroo was everywhere at once; his fingers inside of him, his tongue, his limbs, the suffocating heat from his beautiful body. Daichi squeezed his eyes shut and allowed himself to get drunk off of Kuroo’s invading presence as his senses heightened from each shock of pleasure.

Another finger slipped in, and Daichi cried out as a strange mixture of pain and insatiable desire flooded through him. He licked his lips and whispered, “Hurry, Tetsu. I need you, I’m not sure how much more I can take.”

“Ah, hell,” He heard Kuroo say as his breath slid across his chest. “Just hold on a bit longer. I’m not about to hurt you when you almost died. Be patient, Love.”

Daichi whined but relented, raking his fingers through Kuroo’s wild and damp hair as Kuroo’s teeth grazed the skin of his chest muscle. As the fingers slipped in and out of him, his cock began to throb as Daichi nearly lost control.

“ _Tetsu_!” He called out, and the fingers disappeared from inside him, leaving a lonely vacancy behind with an ache. Kuroo lifted himself up and hovered, giving his own leaking cock a couple strokes as he lined it up with Daichi’s entrance. He licked his lips and entered slowly, groaning as he was enveloped by the encasing heat of Daichi’s ass. Daichi shut his eyes and forced his breaths in and out. It was a strange and slightly uncomfortable feeling as Kuroo slipped into him, and yet it was amazing at the same time. As soon as Kuroo bottomed out, he paused hovering above Daichi, drops of sweat falling from his brow. With his eyes shut, Daichi could observe him for a moment without him knowing. His eyes traveled around Kuroo’s handsome face scrunched up in concentration, his cheeks flushed from the overwhelming sensations. His hair was everywhere, suiting the sly man perfectly. Daichi kept breathing deeply as he adjusted, and glanced down at Kuroo’s body stretched over his. His torso was so long and beautiful, his muscles tense as he fought to remain still, craving to move his hips. Daichi’s heart swelled as he saw where they were connected, and he could no longer stand it. He popped his hips up and wrapped his legs around Kuroo’s waist, locking his firm legs in place. Kuroo nearly fell on top of him in surprise, but he caught himself as he glanced down at Daichi’s mischievous smile.

“What’re you waiting for, Tetsu?”

A wicked grin spread, and he lowered his face and grabbed Daichi’s lower lip gently with his teeth. He released it and licked at them playfully. “Oh, I’m ready if you are,” he purred and began to thrust his hips in and out.

Daichi no longer had the mental capability of banter. He held on for dear life as Kuroo pumped in and out of him, gaining speed and force every time that he did. Daichi reached back and gripped onto the headboard to keep his head from flying into it, his whole body being flooded with waves of ecstasy. Even more so than before, Kuroo surrounded him, but it wasn’t enough. He released the headboard and reached his arms up to nestle at Kuroo’s neck. The touch startled Kuroo, and he slowed the tempo for a moment so he could smile back at Daichi.

“Come here,” Daichi cooed as he tugged gently down at the base of his neck. Kuroo’s grin grew even wider as he sunk down into Daichi, their lips meeting in velvety kisses. Their arms wrapped tighter around one another, and Kuroo resumed his thrusting, their bodies increasing the friction between them, sparking a multitude of pleasurable sensations. Kuroo pumped harder, his fingers gripping into Daichi’s broad back and wishing they could just fuse their bodies together so they’d never have to part.

Daichi released his lips just enough to groan his name into his mouth, and like a shock Kuroo’s senses spiked. He released into Daichi, pumping ferociously as his hand slid down to Daichi’s cock being rubbed between them. With a few strokes of his fingers, Daichi released as well, throwing his head back against the pillow as he felt like he was losing his mind. Kuroo breathed into the crook of Daichi’s neck, watching his throat bob and the sweat trickling down the beautiful curves of it. After a few moments passed coming down from their high, Daichi began to giggle.

“What’s so funny?” Kuroo asked hoarsely.

“That bastard dumped the wash bin and broke the vase on my face...we have no water to wash with.”

Kuroo buried his head into Daichi’s damp chest and chuckled with him. With a grunt he lifted himself up, sliding out from Daichi slowly. He stumbled over and grabbed a spare blanket and wiped himself off. He wrapped it around his waist and opened the door, to Daichi’s astonishment. Kuroo leaned against the wall as he smirked at the red-faced knights keeping watch.

“Say, you think one of you could fetch us some water and towels? We sorta made a bit of a mess. Thanks!” He said with a wink and shut the door behind him. He looked very proud of himself for making the two guards incredibly uncomfortable as he strutted toward the bed and slid onto it next to Daichi.

Daichi chuckled, “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” He answered with a shrug. His face softened as he met Daichi’s gaze, and like a magnet he felt his face dip toward him. Their lips swept gently across each other, Kuroo’s sneaking off to wander around the injured portion of Daichi’s face. His hands came up and cradled at the base of Daichi’s chin and the top of his neck, his nose grazing between bandages against the hot skin of Daichi’s cheek. His scent swept into Kuroo’s lungs as he breathed him in, his lips caressing his soft, damp hair.

“I hope I wasn’t too rough with you,” Kuroo whispered, remembering how out of control he felt as his instincts had taken over, desperate to experience every part of Daichi that he could.

Daichi snorted and pulled back so he could look Kuroo in the eye, “I don’t know how rough you think it was, but I loved every minute of it.” He smirked and cocked his eyebrow at Kuroo. “What do I look like, a porcelain doll? I’m pretty sure my upper body is broader than yours.”

Kuroo’s teeth gleamed in the candlelight as his smile grew, “I’m pretty sure your lower half is too.”

“Why you--” Daichi hooked his arm around Kuroo’s neck and flung him to the side. They laughed as they each tried to get the upper hand, a mess of naked bodies and twisted sheets.

There was a knock at the door, and before he could stop him Kuroo yelled out, “Come in!”

Daichi yelped and just barely threw a blanket over his naked rear end before a guard entered the room.

The guard must have sensed there were things in the room he would not be able to erase from his memory, because he kept his eyes squeezed shut as he stumbled in behind the cart. “Here is a wash basin and some towels for you, Sir. Anything else?”

Kuroo buried his face in the pillow, muffled giggles spilling out as Daichi’s face flushed bright red. “Um, no, that’s fine. Thank you.”

“Yes, Sir,” The guard said as he backed out with his eyes still shut, his arms waving to the sides as he felt around for the door. As he finally made his way back into the hallway, the door shutting clumsily behind him, Daichi flicked the back of Kuroo’s head.

“Can you not do that? I do need to retain an ounce of respect from knights here. I am in charge of the entire Kingdom temporarily.”

Kuroo snorted and lifted his head. “Honestly, it’s better this way. They’ll trust you more if you seem more like a regular guy.”

“Waving my naked ass in front of them is something a regular guy would do?”

Kuroo completely lost himself in a fit of laughter. Daichi settled back against the pillow, chuckling along with him. The attempt on his life had completely unnerved him to the point he was worried he’d never sleep again. But making love to Kuroo and laughing with him had eased his soul. He believed that having that ridiculous man by his side could soothe any pain inflicted on him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay they finally did it all the way! I didn't write it, but I think Kuroo was a little salty Yaku and Lev did it right away, he he he


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new relationship is beginning to blossom, and a couple new events are shifting everything around

Semi stared listlessly up at the ceiling, his body aching from the long hours spent laying on the stiff cot in the medical quarters. The doctor had been taking good care of him, but his wound still pulsed tendrils of pain throughout his abdomen whenever he moved. Although he was healing physically, his entire world felt alien to him now that he was separated from his comrades and the life he knew before. Visions of Satori’s face as he plunged the knife in his gut invaded his thoughts whenever he started to feel an ounce of peace. The feelings he used to have for him had faded considerably over the years, but he was his first love. Most of his life was wrapped up in him, filled with fond memories and unwavering trust. All of that had been obliterated by a kiss and the blade of a dagger.

He clenched his jaw as he sucked in a deep breath. Hot prickling at the corners of his eyes threatened to leak, but he refused to give in. He needed to move forward and make up for all the damage he had unknowingly done. He couldn’t plead simple ignorance when nearly all the Kingdom was starving to death because of his blind devotion.

With a groan he strained his body up slightly, shifting his elbows underneath him for support. The pain that had been pulsating burst from his wound, stinging so harshly it nearly crippled him back onto the cot. His body maintained his position as it trembled, his breath shuddering as he fought through the agony.

“Do you ever ask for help?” A voice asked from the open doorway. Semi’s eyes flickered over to see Bokuto rushing toward him, an irritated expression on his face.

Semi let out a weak laugh, “Help is for the weak.”

Bokuto snorted as he stepped to the side of the cot, his hand sliding across his back and immediately relieving the strain. He released a long breath as he let his head fell back against Bokuto’s upper arm.

“Better?” Bokuto’s voice vibrated through the skin of his arm and into back.

Semi gave a slight nod. “Yeah...better. I really want to stand though.” He turned his face slightly to see Bokuto cock his head, his expression looking concerned.

“Are you sure you can handle it?”

“It’ll hurt like hell, but I can’t lay here any longer. Besides, as long as I take it easy the doctor said it would be good for me to move my body.”

“Hmm, alright, let’s just take it nice and slow.”

Semi scowled, “You don’t have to help.”

Bokuto shot him a glare with an intensity he had no idea he possessed, and it startled Semi how intimidating the lovable man could be. “Like hell I’m not gonna help. Now just get over it and put your arms around my shoulders or neck, whatever works.”

With Bokuto’s assistance, Semi was able to shift around the cot so he was in a sitting position with his legs off the side. Firm hands kept him steady as he took a break, breathing through the pain as he gripped his side. When he finally got a handle on it, he nodded his head and reached out for the broad shoulders in front of him. He could feel the muscles flex under his hands, and for the first time Semi took a moment to notice how incredibly well built Bokuto was. For years he laughed when the tavern owner would boast of his strength and show off how easily he could lift things, but it was another feeling entirely to have that strength supporting his own weight as if he weighed no more than a child. The heat from his body seeped into his own as he lifted himself up to his feet and further into Bokuto’s welcoming arms. He gripped tighter around his shoulders and plowed his face into Bokuto’s chest as another groan ripped through his throat, working to get his pain back under control. Bokuto’s arms wrapped tightly around him, supporting him enough to alleviate the strain, and he sighed from the instant relief. Leaning entirely against the man enveloping him, he relinquished control and let the warmth ease into his sore muscles and soothe his chilled skin. Bokuto’s scent was beginning to feel familiar and comforting to him, like the smell of warm bread fresh from the oven on a frosty morning.

As the pain began to ease and his thoughts focused, he was suddenly aware of the position they were in as they completely embraced one another. His thoughts collided each other as he tried to sort out the influx of feelings when Bokuto gripped onto his back and straightened him slightly.

“Hey, did you wanna try taking a step?” He asked softly as he craned his head down to his. Bokuto’s eyes widened as they took in his face. “Are you okay?! Your face is all red! Maybe we should just leave it for now?”

Semi’s head shook vigorously. “No, I’m fine. You’re just really hot-- warm, your body’s warm, I’m not used to it, but it’s fine! Please, I--” He paused his stammering as Bokuto’s hand cupped his face, his thumb caressing his cheek as a soft smile grew on his face.

“I’m glad. You’ve been so pale lately, it’s nice to see some color on your cheeks.”

Semi gulped as his heart hammered in his chest. Bokuto shifted him slightly to get a better grip, but in doing so he rubbed their lower halves against each other. Semi jerked away in surprise, but a spasm of pain reminded him once again of his injuries. Bokuto held him firmly as his forehead creased with worry.

“Are you sure you’re okay? Did I hurt you?”

“No, I... well I’m constantly in pain, it’s not your fault, Bokuto. I can do this, just give me a minute.”

“Alright, let me know when you’re ready.” His arms once again cradled around his back, and Semi had little choice but to lean against him to relieve the stress. Every thought spiraling through his brain was entirely about the man embracing him, and his deep breaths were more to control his unpredictable libido rather than the pain from his recent wound.

“Sir Semi, I was hoping to-- Oh...am I interrupting something?” They turned their heads to see Daichi standing there, an amused grin spreading across his face. “I can come back later if--

“No!” Semi grunted, his face twisting in pain. “No, you’re fine. Bokuto’s just helping me walk again.”

“Yeah, the idiot wanted to do it himself,” Bokuto teased, his lips just mere centimeters from Semi’s eyes. He dazed out for a moment as he stared at them, but flinched when Bokuto turned his face toward him again. “Do you want to sit? He may need to talk awhile, and you’ll probably need to concentrate.”

Semi sighed but nodded reluctantly. Bokuto asked Daichi if he’d set the pillows up so he could sit up instead of laying down, and the other man gladly rushed over and fluffed them up. Semi gripped Bokuto’s impressive bicep as the other man eased him down onto the cot. Once he was settled and comfortable, Bokuto gave his shoulder a squeeze and said he’d be back later to check on him. With a nod to Daichi he hopped out of the room to give them some privacy.

Daichi slid the cot next to Semi’s a bit closer and sat down on it, his face still in an irritating smile.

“Don’t say anything,” Semi grumbled.

Daichi’s eyebrows shot up. “How are we supposed to talk if I don’t say anything?”

Semi clicked his tongue, “I mean don’t say anything about...that.” He gave a little head jerk toward the door where Bokuto had just left.

“Oooooh, _that_ , well we don’t have to talk about that if you don’t want to, but something tells me it would be good for you if you did talk about it?”

“And why’s that?”

“Because it looks like your brain’s gonna explode.”

A little growl rumbled up Semi’s throat. “Why did you come in here, Master Daichi?”

From the look on his face, Semi knew their previous conversation wasn’t over, but Daichi shrugged and moved on.

“Outside of the City things are going well. New trade routes are established, and appropriate taxes reinstated so the people have enough to feed themselves. Inside the City, however...we have absolutely no idea what’s going on, and that concerns me.”

“You mean you’re worried what the Prince is up to?”

“Yes, but also there are many citizens still living within those walls. Life must be very hard for them right now, I wish there was a way to get them out, or have the Prince finally relent.”

Semi shook his head, “How many days has it been since the assassination attempt? And yet you’re still thinking about everyone else?”

Daichi scratched the non-injured side of his face, “It’s been two days, I have plenty of protection now so I’m not too concerned. Besides, it’s my duty.”

“Ok, so why are you discussing it with me?”

Daichi was silent a moment as he regarded him. “It’s not just the citizens that are left behind in the City...the Shiratorizawa Knights are there as well, and the remaining Royal Guard. They must be wondering what happened to you, and when they find out what the Prince had done… Do you think there’s any way to reach out to them without the Nohebi Knights or the Prince knowing about it?”

Semi didn’t hesitate to shake his head. “No, even before I left Daishou was having every messenger bird captured so he could screen messages coming in and out. Now security has probably increased considerably, and more soldiers from Nohebi are patrolling the streets...I wish I could reach out to my friends, but even if they found out what happened to me, I can’t guarantee they would switch sides.”

“What? The Prince stabbed you and threw you off a balcony, leaving you for dead! How could they still follow him?”

Semi shrugged, “It took a literal knife in my gut for me to completely see the light. We’re the Royal Guard and our loyalty runs deep. I’ve been dwelling on all the facts I missed because of my refusal to see anything but him.” The familiar ache of regret began to spread throughout his chest.

“So, you think there’s nothing I can do?”

“I’m not sure. I’ll think about it, but I have a feeling the Prince will make another move against you before we can come up with anything.”

Daichi winced, “Yeah, I think you may be right. Anyways, I think I took up enough of your time. Do you...want me to send Bokuto back in?” The grin started to creep back up Daichi’s face, reminding Semi eerily of a certain thief he knew.

“No, why would you do that?”

“Well, it looked like you two were getting along really well.”

Semi was certain his cheeks were beginning to flush with how warm they were becoming. “We were just getting along like everybody, he’s just a friendly guy. There was nothing else to it, I don’t know what you’re insinuating.”

Daichi laughed and stood up. “Don’t worry, I’m not insinuating anything. I am enjoying how defensive you’re getting, though. Perhaps you need some privacy to think it over, I’ll let you get some rest.” Daichi continued chuckling on his way out at the dark scowl Semi was giving him.

It was incredibly satisfying seeing Semi flustered, especially when he had been dealing with the turmoil of being betrayed by someone he trusted. To see him relying on Bokuto was a good step to healing physically and emotionally, and Daichi hoped it would continue.

Upon leaving the Medical Quarters, Daichi meandered outside, checking on his own knights to make sure they were working diligently. With Ennoshita keeping watch, everyone was set to their task with only minor scuffles and arguments. He missed having Suga, Asahi and Nishinoya around, but his remaining knights were doing their best in their absence. The only cause for worry was that Daichi had not heard from Suga in a couple days. He should have been finished with his work by now and on his way back, but no message had been sent.

He continued, his eyes flickering at various activity when he heard someone trip behind him. He turned and saw a tall figure disappear, a flash of silver on his head. Daichi snickered, but turned back around, pretending that he didn’t notice Kuroo’s clumsiest kouhai. Since the assassination attempt, it was nearly impossible to pry Kuroo from his side, but he had important tasks of his own that couldn’t be ignored, so Daichi wasn’t surprised he sent someone to tail him. He refused to admit it, but since nearly being murdered it felt good to have someone watching his back, even if they weren’t very subtle about it.

Daichi was just passing the front of the Manor when he heard a commotion inside. He wrenched the doors open and swept inside to find Sir Ukai, Lord Moniwa, Kuroo, Bokuto all discussing something urgently in the front hall. Kuroo looked relieved when he spotted him and met him part way.

“I’m glad you’re here, I just received a message from Kai.”

“What is it?”

“An army just left the City and is heading straight for here.”

“What?!” He grabbed the note Kuroo held out and read it quickly. There was no mistake, Kai was clear that an army had left to come for them. The only other information in the note was what army he sent: Shiratorizawa.

“Well I think we should pull our soldiers back and defend right here. The Hold of Dateko would be perfect,” Ukai suggested.

Lord Moniwa cringed. “We wouldn’t have time to safely evacuate our citizens. Of course, this is a good defense, but I really would hate facing off against them here.”

Ukai glared at him. “You would have Master Daichi go out to meet them in an open field rather than face them safely behind your walls? Why don’t you just cut his head off and wrap it up for the Prince?”

“I didn’t mean alone, I would send my soldiers to accompany him. I can as well if he thinks it necessary, it’s not like I’m without training. I’m only concerned that while Dateko is strong and secure, an army such as Shiratorizawa could overtake it.”

“Shiratorizawa,” Daichi interrupted, tapping the note against his chin as he thought quickly. “Why send them? He has more Nohebi Knights to his disposal since the King took many of his soldiers with him to war. I wonder…”

“Master Daichi, do you have an idea?” Lord Moniwa asked, hopeful for an alternative.

“I seriously doubt any of the soldiers know what happened to Semi. If we bring him with us and meet them on the way, perhaps we can avoid battle altogether and bring them to our side.”

“It’s really risky,” Ukai mused, “But you never know. To have one of their own treated that way may sway some of them, cause some dissension.”

Bokuto stepped forward, running his fingers through his wild hair. “Wait a minute, I understand why you need him, but Master Daichi you just saw how he is. He can hardly stand up, let alone ride a horse out there.”

“You’re right, I wouldn’t want to put him through more pain, but would he want to stay behind if he could prevent a battle? And convince his friends to switch sides.”

“You could always stick him in the back of a cart,” Kuroo suggested.

Bokuto snorted, “He’s a pretty proud guy. It would solve the issue, but I’m not sure he’d go for it.”

“It can’t hurt to ask, regardless he needs to know about this. We need to decide quickly, or we won’t have a choice but to face off against them here. And an army such as that could cut us off from the rest of the Kingdom like we’ve done to them.”

 

Semi blinked in surprise when the crowd of them poured into the medical quarters.

“Am I being arrested?” He asked, quirking his eyebrow.

“No,” Daichi answered seriously as he sat down on the cot next to him. “But we do have some urgent news. The Prince just sent out the Shiratorizawa army and it’s on the way.”

Shock flickered across Semi’s face as his back bolted upright, only to flinch in another burst of pain. Bokuto swept to the other side of the cot and slid his hand along his back.

“Easy,” He murmured as he fluffed the pillows, so he could sit up straighter.

“Thanks,” Semi groaned. “Is the Royal Guard with them?”

“The message didn’t say, Kuroo’s scout saw them leaving the city and sent a message out immediately.”

Semi nodded as he took a few deep breaths. “They’re probably leading them. Had I still been there I would have been leading them.”

“Hm, lucky for us you’re here,” Ukai said gruffly. “We need a plan of action. You were in charge of them, so we were hoping for your input. We could face them here, but as you’re aware Shiratorizawa is a formidable army and could cut us off. Or we could meet them in the open and possibly bring you with us.”

“I have to go, they probably have no idea what happened to me. I seriously doubt the Prince told them he tried to murder me and nearly died. Maybe if they listen we’ll be able to convince them to stand down and join us.”

“That’s what I was hoping for,” Daichi replied. “But you’re hardly fit to ride.”

“I’ll be fine.”

Bokuto sighed heavily beside him. “You’re _not_ fine. You can go as long as you ride in the cart.”

Semi turned his head and looked at him like he was crazy. “I’m not appearing before my men in a shitty cart!”

“Maybe you can ride part way in the cart, and then switch to a horse when we arrive,” Daichi suggested.

“That could work, but I still don’t think he can handle it,” Bokuto said, wincing as Semi shot him a deadly glare.

“We need to gather what soldiers we can. Sir Ukai, can you send out birds to the nearest villages and have the knights we sent come back immediately?”

“Yup, I’ll get to it, we don’t have much time.”

“Lord Moniwa, can you have Kamasaki gather all the knights here and have them prepare for battle? Have them alert the remaining Karasuno Knights as well.”

“Yes, Master Daichi,” He responded with a bow, and swept out of the room after Sir Ukai.

“What do you need me to do, Daichi?” Kuroo asked, his body vibrating as he awaited instructions.

Daichi gazed up at him as he thought. “I need you to stay here and filter messages from everyone. I need your guys to be on alert to make sure this isn’t a ruse just to take the Kingdom back while I’m preoccupied with an army.”

“You expect me to stay here while you go off to fight? I’m not going to leave you alone!”

“I won’t be alone, I’ll be surrounded by my knights as well as Dateko’s and other villages.” Daichi stood when he saw Kuroo was about to retort. He reached his hands up to cup his face. “Tetsu, I need you to stay here, I’m relying on you. Please?”

Kuroo softened in Daichi’s grasp, his face etched with worry as he dropped his forehead against Daichi’s. “I know, I just don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you.”

Daichi chuckled softly, “Trust me, I know how you feel.”

Behind them Semi eyed the pair curiously. He leaned toward Bokuto and whispered, “Are those two…”

Bokuto cocked his head and whispered loudly, “You didn’t know? Yup, they’re totally lovers, they’ve actually been in love for years but were separated, but now they’re pretty hot and heavy since they’ve gotten back together.”

“Bokuto...we can hear you. _Clearly_ ,” Kuroo grumbled. He leaned back to give Bokuto a dirty look. “At least I’ll have that idiot to keep my company.”

“Oh no way,” Bokuto replied. “I’m going with them!”

“What?!” Semi grunted as a spasm erupted in his stomach. “You can’t come, there might be fighting.”

“Then why are you going, Sir Invalid? Besides, I can fight just fine.”

“How do you know how to fight? And don’t call me that.”

“I always have! You knights all think you’re the only ones who can use a weapon, you’re all a bunch of snobs if you ask me.”

“Bokuto, I’ve been wondering for a while now,” Daichi said, releasing Kuroo and walking back to Semi’s side. “You keep mentioning you know how to fight, you and your crew arrived here each armed with various weapons, and you’re all very mysterious and tight lipped about your past. Will you please explain it to us?”

“Yeah!” Kuroo joined in. “You always changed the subject whenever we’d talk about it, spill it!”

Bokuto looked nervously at each of them, and then glanced at the door at the other end of the building as if was contemplating a quick escape. Finally, he sighed and crossed his arms in front of him.

“We’re from Fukurodani.”

Another look of surprise sparked on each of their faces. Fukurodani was a village on the edge of the Kingdom and near the border of Aoba Johsai, the nation they were currently at war with. It was small but filled with clever, feisty villagers, surrounded by thick wilderness. Before five years ago they were peaceful and very close with the King as he loved to hunt in their forests. But then one night the entire village was burned to the ground without a living soul left. The King came himself with his knights to investigate, but all they found was some trails returning to Aoba Johsai and some fragments from the Kingdom’s uniform. It was the single event that triggered the entire war, and though most believed it had been their enemy that had destroyed it, it was still shrouded in mystery.

“I thought everyone had died,” Daichi whispered, looking at Bokuto in wonder.

Bokuto shook his head. “Actually, quite a bit of us escaped, though it was close. My entire crew is from there, as well as Yukie and Kaori. There are others too, but we all spread out and kept quiet.”

“Why didn’t you say something? “Semi asked. “We could have used some information on it. It may have stopped the war.”

“We were being hunted by the people who did it. A couple older folks escaped and raised hell about it in a neighboring village, but they disappeared without a trace. We realized if anyone knew where we were from we’d be killed, so we became nomads. It wasn’t Aoba Johsai soldiers who destroyed our village, and we only had a few clues as to who did it. We have every reason to believe now that it was Daishou’s own men who did it. That’s why we settled in the city, hoping maybe we could collect some evidence to support it.”

Kuroo rushed over and sat beside Daichi. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?! We’re friends Bokuto, I could have helped!”

“No way, you had your own problems! Plus, we didn’t want anyone else to get hurt, most of us lost our families that day,” He said as his eyes grew somber, his shoulders dropping slightly. “That axe was my grandfather’s, he taught me how to use it. You are right, we’ve kept quiet about this long enough. So, let us help now and put an end to this madness.”

Daichi and Semi locked eyes and after a moment shared a nod. Daichi stood up, with Kuroo hovering beside him.

“Alright, Bokuto get your men together, and find the doctor to see if he can stabilize Semi well enough for travel. We need to leave by dawn.”

 

For the rest of the afternoon there was chaos everywhere. Hundreds of knights from the surrounding areas arrived at different times. Kamasaki was named to be the Head Knight and Daichi’s second as they organized the newcomers and all the preparations that were needed. The horses stamped and whinnied around the makeshift paddocks, the high-strung tension affecting even them. Since they were not leaving until just before daybreak, many knights lumbered into the barracks to get what little sleep they could. The knights who could not sleep continuously wandered through the Hold, checking equipment and armor to chase away the jitters.

As the darkness began to lift, Daichi stood in his room as he slipped into his armor. His face was grim as he sorted through every scenario that could result that day, and he grew more solemn as the future seemed murkier than it ever had.

“You know, I’m really torn,” Kuroo’s voice said behind him from the open doorway.

Daichi turned and gave him a smile. “Why is that?”

Kuroo grinned as he slid into the room, his eyes traveling up and down Daichi’s body. “You put on that shiny armor and it means you’re leaving me, going to fight without me by your side. On the other hand,” He let out a low whistle, “You look dead sexy in it.”

Daichi chuckled as he slid his arms around Kuroo’s waist and pulled him in close. “Oh? I look good in it?”

“Ha, you know you do.” Kuroo’s face fell, and he looked down into Daichi’s face with sudden seriousness as he slipped his hand through Daichi’s hair. “Promise me Daichi…”

Daichi smiled, his brown eyes warm and full of love. “Of course, what is it?”

Kuroo’s eyes flickered around his face, memorizing every eyelash, the cut of his jaw, the variations of his lips. “Promise me, when you come back...we’ll have sex with you in this armor.”

Daichi burst out laughing and shoved him away, only for Kuroo’s arms to snap him right back to him. He wrapped Daichi in tight, pressing his head against is chest. “I’m joking, well only slightly. Please come back safely, Love. I don’t want to live anymore of this life without you.”

Daichi closed his eyes and breathed deeply, soaking in Kuroo’s scent. “I promise I’ll do my best. Only the gods have control over life and death.”

Kuroo clicked his tongue, “Cheap answer.” He began pressing light kisses in his hair, trailing down to his forehead and down his nose. As his lips crept to Daichi’s, he paused as his eyes traveled around his face for a moment before giving in to the kiss. Kuroo squeezed his eyes shut as they pressed together, wishing they’d never have to experience any more goodbye kisses where they weren’t sure if they’d ever see each other again. He felt his heart breaking and his resolve crumbling, and as Daichi clawed at the front of his shirt he contemplated tying him up and hiding him in the wardrobe.

But too soon Daichi was pulling back, his eyes shut as he savored the taste of Kuroo on his lips. With a sigh he opened them, and the mask of responsibility had veiled itself over his lover’s face. Daichi reached up placed his fingers under Kuroo’s chin, his thumb caressing the front of it.

“I love you,” He whispered and gave him one last kiss before walking out the door, leaving Kuroo to cover his mouth to contain his shuddering breaths.

An unnerving hush of whispers filled the camp, the apprehension from the prospective battle keeping everyone on edge. Eyes flickered to Daichi as he strode out of the manor in full armor, his sword strapped to his side. He walked all the way through the village to the front gate, where Ennoshita was waiting in his own set of armor, holding Nightwing’s reins. He gave him a nod as he lifted himself up into the saddle and took the reins for himself. With a little tug to the left Nightwing swung about so Daichi faced the hoard of knights spread out in front of him.

With a deep breath and clear voice, Daichi spoke out, “We go now to meet an army that is not our enemy. They are the mighty and skilled Shiratorizawa army that believes they are fighting for the King, but in fact they are fighting for the traitorous Prince, who has stolen from your lands, beaten your people, and turned this Kingdom against itself in the absence of our great King! We will try to convince them of the truth, but if they will not see it our path is clear. We will not allow the Prince to take the kingdom back for his own selfish desires! He will no longer starve our people and drive us into ruin. Will you uphold your vows to be loyal to the King and to protect his people? Will you ride with me?!”

A roar of cheers pierced the air and echoed off the daunting stone walls of Dateko. The cheers continued as Daichi turned Nightwing and rode out into the early morning still covered under the blanket of darkness, the gleaming knights flooding through the gate behind him. Toward the back of the crowd was a cart with a few Fukurodani fighters aboard. In the back Semi was cushioned so he could rest before they arrived. He was disgruntled about traveling in such a pathetic way, but he knew his body would not be able to handle riding on horseback. He gripped the side of the rickety cart and glanced up at the rider next to him. Bokuto was riding a large draft horse they had to spare. With anyone else riding her it would have looked comical. But Bokuto was dressed in a leather jerkin that strained over his muscular frame with his giant axe was strapped to his back, making the clunky mare look like a fierce warhorse. Semi hated to admit it, but the man looked devastatingly handsome, while _he_ probably looked like a sweaty mess of clammy skin.

Before Bokuto could catch him staring, he leaned back and looked to the other side of the cart where Akaashi was riding on a sprightly mare himself. He was also dressed in leather; he vaguely remembered it being the tradition in Fukurodani to wear leather instead of armor in fights. It suited him as well, fitted perfectly to his trim figure with a matching leather cord tied across his forehead. He hoped they would all make it through this unscathed, he was curious to hear more about the lives of the Fukurodani crew he thought he knew.

The ride took a few hours, but soon they crested over a hill as the sun poured over it, casting light across the land and the entire breadth of the Shiratorizawa army. Daichi’s breath caught in his throat at the sight. With all the soldiers he was able to grab under such short notice, they had the greater number, but only just. The Knights of Shiratorizawa were uniform and disciplined in perfect rows as they approached. They stopped in unison and froze, not a word uttered among them as they faced Daichi’s own army. Three riders emerged from the throng and rode toward them.

The cart holding Semi pulled up beside him with Bokuto and Akaashi riding next to it. Bokuto hopped off his horse and into the cart, his arms sweeping under Semi and lifting him up. Akaashi dismounted as well and held his horse still so Semi could be set onto it.

“Are you okay?” Bokuto whispered across his forehead, causing goosebumps to flicker down his arms. The doctor had bandaged him up tightly, so his torso was stiff, keeping the pain at bay temporarily, though not completely.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” He answered swiftly and Bokuto nodded, hoisting him as he stood up in the cart and sat him into the saddle of Akaashi’s horse. It felt familiar and strange at the same time to be on a horse again. He rubbed the leather of the reins between his fingers as he drew deep breaths. When he was ready, he lifted his chin up and nodded to Daichi and Kamasaki who were waiting patiently beside him.

“Be careful,” Bokuto said quietly. “Wave me down if you need me to ride out to get you.”

Semi wanted to tell him it wasn’t necessary, but deep down he knew it was a possibility, so he simply nodded.

“Good luck,” Akaashi wished them all and stepped away, tugging Bokuto’s shirt sleeve to pull him back as well.

With a gentle tap of their heels their horses took off toward the three men waiting in between the two armies. As they drew nearer, the details of the three Shiratorizawa Knights became clearer. Ohira, Yamagata, and Shirabu were the knights chosen to lead the army, and Daichi was hopeful they would listen to what they had to say. He could already see the shock on their faces at seeing Semi ride toward them. As they finally slowed, Daichi saw Semi sway a bit in the saddle, so he reached out and grasped his arm to keep him steady. He did not draw back until they were completely stopped, and Semi had enough strength to keep himself upright.

“Hey guys,” He said weakly, sweat prickling his forehead as he gripped onto the saddle.

“Semi? What the hell happened to you? Why are you here?” Ohira asked, his eyes flickering across Semi’s hunched body.

“I was stabbed and thrown from a balcony into the garden. Why, what did you hear?”

“That you tried to kill the Prince and ran away,” Shirabu answered, his eyebrow quirked at his old senpai. “So, what’s the truth?”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it?” Daichi answered. “We have witnesses that saw the Prince stab him and throw him over. They dragged him to Bokuto’s tavern nearly dead, but they were able to patch him up and save him. Then they snuck him out and brought him to me.”

“Is this true, Semi?” Yamagata asked, his jaw clenched as his eyes bored into his friend.

Semi sighed, “Yes, it’s true. You know I would never slander the Prince, not with our history and my devotion to him. But...that time has passed. After everything we’ve been through he--” Semi drew in a breath, his eyes growing hot as tears threatened to break through. “I would never betray him, and yet he betrayed me. Everything they said about him was true and I couldn’t see it. Please... _please_ lay down your arms and discuss it with us. I know your loyalty is to the King above all, and that is who Daichi and his army are fighting for.”

“It’s not that easy,” Yamagata answered. “If we even stop to listen that would be disobeying the Prince’s orders.”

Daichi rolled his eyes, “That sounds just like him, he’ll do anything to keep you from seeing the truth.”

Yamagata turned to Ohira, “What can we do?”

Ohira turned his dark eyes to Semi and regarded him for a moment. “Not in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be on the opposite side of a battlefield from you, Semi. You know it was ingrained in us to be completely loyal to the crown, and yet I still trust you completely. I’ve followed you everywhere and I want to still, it’s just…. it’s _treason_.”

That last word cut through the air like an icy breeze. The three Shiratorizawa Knights looked physically pained as they glanced from Semi to each other. They seemed no closer to a decision when a piercing horn cut across the land. Jerking in their saddles they all gasped as an entirely different army spanned the whole horizon from the direction of the sun, banners waving wildly and the thunder of horse hooves rumbling in the ground as they approached the two armies at their standstill. With the sun hitting their eyes, none of them could make out the colors the army was sporting, the identity of the rushing hoard of knights entirely unknown until they could draw closer.

“Who the hell are they?” Kamasaki grunted as he squinted in the sunlight.

“I can’t tell, you command the rest of the knights from the Kingdom, don’t you, Master Daichi?” Yamagata asked.

“Yes, this isn’t any of them. Unless…” A sickening feeling twisted in his gut. “Unless it’s Nohebi.”

“Why would Nohebi send their whole army after us?” Ohira asked, though the look on his face revealed he didn’t need to ask the question.

“There’s no use wondering until they approach. They shouldn’t attack without discussing terms first,” Semi added, keeping a cool head even as he gripped his stomach in pain. He didn’t know how much longer he could stay on the horse.  He glanced behind him at their army, his eyes searching for Bokuto before spotting him astride his giant horse. He didn’t signal him just yet, but seeing him waiting calmed his nerves slightly.

As he turned back to gaze at the approaching army, they suddenly halted in impressive unison. One rider continued, looking bold astride a black stallion, and several riders trailing behind. The sun was rising higher, and as the newcomers drew near, Daichi’s eyes widened as he picked out the details of the front rider. He was statuesque and firmly built, clad in armor that added to his intimidating aura. He wore no helmet, so Daichi could see the firm jawline, the fierce eyes and brown hair fluttering in the wind. It had been five years since he’d seen him and Daichi nearly broke out into a sob of joy as the rider approached with Suga riding behind him with a bright grin on his face.

“It’s the King.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always comments are always appreciated! Let me know what you think about these new developments!


	17. Chapter 17

The King was older than he’d last seen, a mature aura surrounding him gained from the years away at war. As he approached, he slowed his horse down, his stern gaze flickering to each of them as he ingested the situation in front of him. They each gave a bow from on top of their horses, murmuring “Your Majesty,” in respectful tones. He gave a nod but said nothing as he continued to look around.

Finally, he spoke in a firm voice, “Go back to your armies and have them stand down and make camp. There will be no battles fought today, understood?” They all nodded quickly, and he continued. “When that is finished come back to this spot. My men will set up my tent here so we will discuss the situation. Dismissed.”

Without hesitation they turned their horses and went back to their own armies. As Daichi rode alongside Semi, his eyes glancing nervously at the pale knight, he heard hoof beats approaching behind him. He looked over his shoulder to find Suga catching up to him, and he slowed down so they could speak.

“Whew, looks like we got here just in time!” Suga expressed, his cheeks flushed with excitement or from the cold, Daichi couldn’t tell.

“You’re telling me, I feel like a huge burden has just been lifted from my shoulders.”

“I wouldn’t get too excited yet, Daichi. I have a feeling the King is gonna keep you working overtime,” He teased with a smirk, and Daichi chuckled.

“Yes, I think you’re probably right. Still, I’m glad he’s here, and he’s alright.”

Daichi’s eyes flickered to a rider galloping up to meet them, and saw that it was Bokuto, his eyebrows furrowed with worry. He glanced next to him to see Semi still on top of his horse, but his face tense with pain and his arms gripping his sides. He pulled his horse to a stop and reached out to grab Semi so they could wait for Bokuto.

“Kamasaki, ride ahead and give the order to stand down and make camp, please.”

“Yes, My Lord,” He replied as he gave his horse a light kick and took off at a quicker pace toward the awaiting knights.

As Bokuto rode up he went past the three of them and whirled around so his horse was facing the same direction, and then urged it right up alongside Semi’s horse. Without asking permission he slid his arm around Semi’s back, his other hooking under his leg and lifted him out of the saddle with a grunt. Semi gave a slight yelp of surprise but immediately threw his arm around Bokuto’s neck to give him support. In a flash Bokuto had settled him in the saddle in front of him, one arm wrapped around the front of Semi to keep him stable while he gripped the reins with the other.

“Can you take Akaashi’s horse back, Master Daichi?” He asked from behind Semi’s head.

“Sure, I’ve got her,” He answered as he flipped the reins over the mare’s head and urged Nightwing forward to rejoin the army.

Suga peered around him at the other two as Semi leaned his head back against Bokuto’s shoulder, his eyes squeezed shut as he breathed deeply. With a smirk growing on Suga’s he leaned over to whisper, “They look cozy.”

“Well, you know, Bokuto’s always been protective of his friends, and Semi’s in a lot of pain,” Daichi replied in a low murmur.

“Of course, I’m sure that’s all it is,” Suga said in a chipper tone that implied it was anything but.

By the time they joined their makeshift army, the knights were already busy setting up camp and corralling the horses. Excited cheers and chatter pervaded the atmosphere as they discussed the final arrival of the King and his fortuitous timing. With a few more commands from Daichi, he took Suga aside, so they could speak.

“Can I assume that this is the reason I haven’t heard from you for a couple of days?”

“Oh, yes, he arrived when I was drafting my latest letter to you and it flew right out of my head! Everything was settled and we were about to head on back when the King and his entire army arrived, we couldn’t believe it! And then it took forever to explain what had been happening, I’m sure he’ll discuss it further with you. It looks like they’ve got the meeting tent set up. Shouldn’t you be heading back? Should I go with you?”

“Suga, take a breath,” Daichi laughed as he clapped him on the back. “Maybe you should rest a bit and make sure things continue smoothly here.”

Suga’s face fell, but nodded his head regardless. Akaashi wandered over at that moment, hovering back so he wouldn’t interrupt.

“Come on over, Akaashi, it’s okay.”

“Yes, Master Daichi. Sir Semi wants to go with you back to the meeting tent, but he is in quite a lot of pain. Bokuto is trying to convince him to go in the cart but he’s still refusing,” he said with a roll of his eyes.

Suga stepped toward him, his face determined. “Spill it Akaashi, what’s going on with those two?”

“Those two? I don’t know what you mean, Sugawara-san?” Akaashi replied in an uninterested voice, but the corner of his mouth quirked up slightly.

Suga groaned dramatically, “I can smell sexual tension miles away, don’t play dumb with me.”

Akaashi shrugged, “That may be so, but a man has to hold true to his word. Should a man make a promise to not say anything about his best friend having a crush on a certain knight and that knight obviously gaining interest in return though he says nothing about it...well, there’s nothing he can do about it, right? I’d like to think I’m a good friend.”

Suga giggled, “I appreciate your loyalty. I won’t say anything else about it...to them of course.”

Daichi rolled his eyes and shoved Suga aside. “Back to the issue, tell Semi he can come if he rides in the cart.... or snuggles with Bokuto on a horse.”

Suga snorted in a fit of laughter, “Don’t say it like that though! Then Semi will choose the cart, or he may walk to the tent himself!”

Akaashi bit his lip as he tried not to laugh, “Of course, I’ll give him those two options. Thank you, Master Daichi.” He gave a bow and disappeared through the mass of busy knights.

“You’re right though, I should be getting back. I’ll wait for Semi and then we’ll move on ahead. Could you...do you think you could send a message by raven to Kuroo, let him know what’s going on? He’ll be relieved to know there wasn’t a battle.”

Suga smiled and nodded, “Of course, good luck.”

Daichi found Nightwing being tended by Tsukishima and Yamaguchi as they worked with various other knights to unequip the horses and give them water and feed. Once he was mounted he rode off toward the edge of the camp where he found an irritated Semi waiting for him...with Bokuto mounted behind him and his arm wrapped protectively around his waist. Semi preoccupied himself with staring out at the meeting tent when Bokuto leaned in and whispered something in his ear. A flush began to rise across his cheeks as he answered, and Daichi fought to keep his face straight as he approached them.

“Ahem...you both ready?”

Semi flinched since he did not see him coming, but nodded vigorously. “Please, let’s get on with this,” he grumbled.

Daichi smirked but said nothing as he urged Nightwing forward with Bokuto’s horse following close behind. In between all three armies was a grand maroon tent that had just been fully erected as they approached. Right out front were several knights the King had brought with him, in particular his general Washijo Tanji. The old man nodded to them from under his thick dark eyebrows.

“King’s waiting for you inside, better get a move on,” he said gruffly as he waved toward the entrance.

“Yes, thank you General,” Daichi answered as he hopped off and handed the reins to Soekawa, the King’s right hand. Yunohama, another of the King’s knights, rushed forward and held Bokuto’s horse as he leapt off. Semi cringed as Bokuto held his arms out to help him, but he didn’t keep them waiting as he swung his leg over and slid off, accepting the extra support.

“I got this, Bokuto, I can walk in on my own,” He stated with his chin held high. Bokuto smirked and stepped back, allowing Semi to stumble after Daichi into the tent though he hovered a couple steps behind.

The King was seated in a chair facing the entrance. Several seats were spread in a semi-circle around him, two already taken by Ohira and Yamagata. After a bow to the King, Daichi was about to sit next to him when the King stood up and walked toward him. With the slightest of smiles the King wrapped his arms around Daichi, pressing him close in a tight hug. Daichi felt his eyes grow hot in the emotion of the moment, burying his face into his beloved Uncle’s chest. Since his parent’s death when he was a child, King Wakatoshi was always more of an older brother to him, while at the same time raising him practically as his own. Other than Kuroo, there was no one else Daichi cared more about or relied on, and as he relished the warmth from the King’s arms he felt like he had finally returned home.

As they pulled back from the hug, the King reached out and ruffled his hair.

“Your Majesty, I’m not twelve anymore,” Daichi complained as he moved his hand back through his hair to straighten it.

“You’re still my young nephew, nothing will change that,” He replied gently, though Daichi swore there was a bit of a smirk playing on his thin lips. “Did Sugawara not return with you?”

“Oh, no. I left him behind at camp to keep an eye on things.”

“Ah...I see.” His eyes flickered behind Daichi to the other two, “Semi, is it true what they were telling me? Satori stabbed you and threw you from a balcony?”

Semi nodded weakly, his trembling hand gripping his stomach. “Yes, Your Majesty. It’s true.”

“And how long ago was this?”

“Uh...maybe a week ago? I’m not sure, I was in a bit of a daze in the days after.”

The King sighed heavily, “You’re obviously in no state to be standing. Would you feel better sitting or laying down, and do not lie to me. I can see you’re in a great amount of pain.”

“I... would prefer to lay down, Your Majesty. Though I do want to be included in the conversation if I can.”

The King nodded and ordered a guard to fetch a cot and blankets immediately, and the doctor to check on him.

“Excuse me, Your Majesty,” Bokuto said with a bow, “I can step out so you all can talk. I only came in to make sure Sir Semi made it okay.”

He was about to move away when Daichi called after him. “Bokuto, wait. I think you should stay.” He stopped, and everyone looked at him curiously. Daichi turned to the King. “Your Majesty, Bokuto here is from Fukurodani. I think you should hear what he has to say about it directly from him.”

Surprise flickered across the King’s face and then darkened. “Yes, you should stay. I need to know the truth. That is one reason I have returned from the war. It is not officially over, but I have finally discussed things civilly with King Oikawa and he claims that he had no part of it. Would you tell me about it?”

Bokuto was shocked but nodded his head up and down. “Of course, Your Majesty. I will tell you whatever you’d like to hear.”

After Semi was settled on the cot, the doctor removed his shirt and bandages to examine the wound. The King and the Shiratorizawa knights hovered to the side, anxious to see the wound for themselves. There was some swelling around it from the activity of the day, but it had luckily not reopened.

“It is hard for me to believe he did this to you,” The King murmured, his eyes somber as they stared at the healing gash. “I thought you two were…”

Semi huffed out a weak laugh, “Not for a long time, Your Majesty. I thought since then we were good friends but...I was wrong about that. It was something he consistently used to his advantage,” He added with his jaw clenched in anger.

Yamagata shook his head, “I’m sorry Semi. You didn’t come back that night and we had no idea what had happened to you. When the Prince announced you had tried to kill _him_ and had escaped...we didn’t believe it, but what could we do?”

Semi waved his hand dismissively, “Enough of that, we were all blinded by loyalty. Let’s focus on what we should do next.”

“I agree,” The King answered as he straightened his back, “But first, I need to hear everything from the beginning. Bokuto, you begin.”

They all sat in the circle as Bokuto began his tale, regaling in more detail the horror that occurred that night. The strain was evident as he spoke of finding several members of his family already gone. He said his grandfather was just barely alive when he found him, who was dying from a stab wound. The only thing he was able to tell Bokuto was that the men who rushed in were assassins, and the daggers were poisoned. He told him to take his axe and not let the blades touch his skin if the assassins find him. Bokuto wrenched himself from his family and was able to find his friends hiding in the forest. There were rumors other families that escaped, but when the group tried to find them, they had disappeared without a trace. The only thing they could do was hide their identity and move from place to place and stay hidden. By listening to whispers and observing other villages, they had discovered the similarities the assassins had with Daishou’s men from Nohebi. At this point of the story, Daichi confirmed that the man who attempted to assassinate him was also from Nohebi and used a poisoned dagger. That news came as another shock to Yamagata and Ohira, who were not aware that the Prince had sent an assassin to kill him.  

The conversation moved onto Daichi’s story, and how outside the City things grew progressively worse over the last five years as taxes increased to an outrageous amount. He mentioned there were some who tried to combat it, some being unsuccessful and others more so, such as Kuroo and his group. The tale became slightly more detailed as Daichi went into the events of when he returned to the City by the Prince’s invitation leading up to the point they were at now.

The King listened intently to everything that was said, only interrupting once or twice to ask a poignant question. When both Bokuto and Daichi had finished their stories, he turned to the members of the Royal Guard.

“Is there anything they have said that you can refute?”

Ohira and Yamagata shook their heads. Yamagata spoke first, “Your Majesty, since you’ve left the Prince has pulled his entire army and guard back to the city and left it to other village knights to tend to the rest of the Kingdom. Because of this, we only knew what the Prince had informed us from Daishou’s reports. I think any information we have would be skewed.”

The King glanced to Semi, who was listening patiently from the cot. “And you, Semi. What do you say about it?”

“I was the same as these two until the night Satori stabbed me and left me for dead. I would have died if it hadn’t been for Kuroo’s men finding me and bringing me to Bokuto’s. After living in Dateko, I can say with certainty that the rest of the Kingdom was in bad shape. Since Master Daichi had taken over, things had been improving as far as I could tell. I imagine it would have been very bad if every Lord except Daishou had decided to deny the Prince. All of them have proven themselves very loyal to you in the past, and not a lot of them are very gutsy.”

The King nodded, “Very well, the only thing left is to speak with Satori himself and hear his side of the story.”

Everyone in the room straightened in surprise. Semi winced in pain as he tried to sit up.

“But your Majesty, he’s not as he used to be. He may try to hurt you like he did me.”

Daichi nodded, “He’s proven himself to be incredibly manipulative, you should use extra caution when--” He paused when the King raised a hand to silence everyone.

He stood up and bent over to look Daichi in the eye. “I know my own brother, Daichi. He was always manipulative. Nevertheless, I have made mistakes in the past where I have not heard every side of the story. It is the whole reason I threw myself into this war against an enemy that ended up being innocent, instead of investigating further. How many lives could have been spared if I had been a bit more thorough? Besides,” He straightened up, looking sternly down at his nephew, “As a leader you must be fair and allow every party a chance to speak. If Satori had been a good leader, he would have allowed his Royal guard and yourself to influence him better. Remember that, Daichi.”

Daichi flushed slightly at the lecture, but obediently nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty. You’re right of course.” He shut his eyes as the King once again ruffled his hair, and grew a bit disgruntled when he heard Bokuto snickering beside him.

“I will send a dispatch to Shiratorizawa City with a letter to Satori. It’ll alert him to my arrival and when I expect to come into the City, as well as explaining that I will hear whatever he has to say and will not make any rash decisions. Both sections of the Shiratorizawa army will wait here with me while we wait for his answer. Daichi, I want you to return to Dateko and continue your duties in my place.”

“Your Majesty? You want me to continue ruling?”

“Yes, of course. I need to return to the City and settle things with Satori, and I do not want the Kingdom to suffer while I readjust. Will you do this for me?”

Daichi stood in front of his towering Uncle and knelt to the ground. “Yes, Your Majesty. It would be an honor to continue serving you.”

The tiniest of smiles played upon the King’s lips. “Thank you. Now go. We can correspond through ravens as we give each other updates.”

“Your Majesty? What would you have me do?” Semi grunted from the cot. The King turned and walked toward the cot to give him attention.

“Semi, I would prefer for you to return to Dateko as well and continue healing. You know as well as anyone you are not fit to perform your duties. When you are all healed, and I have the approval of a doctor, you can join me.” He reached out and grasped Semi’s shoulder. “You will always have a place by my side.”

Semi bit his lip to contain his emotion, and after a few deep breaths he nodded. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

The King stood and glanced at the rest of them. “Any more questions?” All the men present shook their heads. “Good, dismissed.”

 

Washijo furrowed his thick, dark brows low over his eyes as he stared up at the grand gate of the City, which was closed.

“Smells like shit,” He grumbled to his companions beside him, Ohira and Yamagata. There were several other knights with them that had just returned with the King, and they stared in shock at the locked gate.

“It’s not in a good state,” Yamagata explained nervously. “Master Daichi had cut off all our supplies from the Nohebi soldiers. He claimed earlier that he did not want trade to stop because of the citizens still inside, but he couldn’t force the merchants to enter the City. Couldn’t really blame them at this point.”

They all flinched when the gates began to creak open, revealing a tall Nohebi Knight, his dark hair swept over one eye as he strode out to greet them.

“Ah, Sir Hiroo,” Ohira greeted the knight.

The knight nodded stoically in response as he glanced around at them. “Is this what’s left of your army?”

“No, there was no battle. We need to speak with the Prince immediately,” Yamagata answered.

The knight narrowed his eyes at them. “You didn’t fight? Did the Prince not command you to wipe out the usurper’s army?”

“Last I checked he’s part of the Royal Guard, and doesn’t answer to you, Little Pup,” Washijo growled, squirming in his saddle as his impatience grew.

The knight looked the General over with a skeptical eye and shrugged. Come this way, but you will be escorted by our knights. I’ll send word ahead to Lord Daishou.”

“Escorted?! We’re the King’s own knights, why would we need an escort in his City?” Washijo shouted, his cheeks beginning to flush in his anger. Ohira and Yamagata looked disgruntled as well, though they half expected something like this to happen.

“My orders come from the Prince himself,” Hiroo answered simply, not letting the anger of the knights affect his cool attitude. “Come this way.”

The Shiratorizawa Knights and General Washijo were silent as they were escorted through the City. The streets were barren except for a few people hurrying into their homes, or a few vendors alone in the market with the few items they had left to sell. It was still midafternoon, but the streets seemed dark and almost creepy as they wandered through.

Shock and anger flickered back and forth across Washijo’s face. Yamagata urged his horse next to his and leaned over to whisper, “Please be careful what you say to the Prince. After knowing what he’s done, I wouldn’t put it him to arrest us or murder us for saying something to anger him.”

“I just got back from a fuckin war, I don’t give a donkey’s ass about the _Prince’s_ feelings.”

Yamagata sighed, “I know, but we are at his mercy here. I’m sure the King would want you to return to him in one piece.”

The short old man pinched his lips in a tight line. “Fine,” He huffed, “I’ll do my best. I do have my orders after all.”

“Thank you, General,” Yamagata breathed, hoping that the Prince would at least be as compliant as the grumpy general.

When they finally arrived at the castle, they were shown into the throne room, where the Prince sat on the throne, a delicate and twisted crown on his head. His robes were like the Shiratorizawa maroon, and yet with the velvet material used the color looked almost muddy and distorted, though still retaining its elegance. He drummed his jeweled fingers on the arm rest as his eyes leered down at them. Daishou stood off to the side of the throne, his face no longer pasted with a superior smirk, but instead tired and creased with stress.

“So, Sir Yamagata, I sent you and the whole Shiratorizawa army to destroy the Usurper’s army, and you send no word about the battle and return here with hardly any soldiers? You do not look like you even drew your sword out of its sheath.”

“I didn’t have any reason to, Your Majesty,” Yamagata answered, gulping down the lump in his throat.

The Prince leaned forward, his eyes flashing menacingly, and the knights felt a chill seep over them as if it had just begun to snow in the middle of the throne room. “And _why_ would you have no reason to?”

Yamagata lifted his face and took a deep breath. “Because, Your Majesty, before the battle could commence, His Majesty the King returned.”

Like a shattering window, the Prince’s mask of confidence crumbled away. His mouth dropped open as he stared down at them in shock. Behind him, Daishou began to walk forward a couple steps, his face giving away a slight flicker of hope.

“The King...is back?”

“Why the hell do you think I’m here,” Washijo finally spoke.

The Prince’s eyes flickered to the aging General, and then sat back as he gazed him suspiciously. “Ah, yes, General Washijo. I’m surprised you’re still alive.”

“Why you little--” Washijo grunted when Yamagata elbowed him in the ribs. Washijo closed his eyes and took a breath, though it sounded ominously like a low growl. “Yes, _Your Majesty_ , I am still alive. And I have been ordered by the King himself to inform you of his return to the Kingdom, and he intends to arrive here tomorrow to take back his throne and resume his duties as King.”

The Prince had regained his mask and regarded them with a cool stare. Yamagata flinched when the Prince’s eyes locked onto him once again. “Am I to assume, Sir Yamagata, that you and the entire Shiratorizawa army and Royal Guard are now under the King’s rule and not my own?”

Yamagata blinked, “Yes, of course, Your Majesty. We would never refuse an order from the King. I hope you understand,” He finished politely with a bow.

“Oh, of course I understand,” The Prince sang out in a friendly tone with venom lurking underneath. “Well, if that be the case, I will allow you all to go back to him and pass along my message.”

He stood and swept toward them, his robe’s billowing like dark wings behind him. At the top of the steps, his stature seemed to sweep even higher as he glowered down at them. “You can tell the precious King that if he wants his throne back... _he’s going to have to take it from me_ ,” He seethed like a coiled cobra, hissing into the air with his fangs exposed with poison dripping from the tip.

Before they had left the camp, Daichi had dismissed most of the knights to return to their duties in their prospective villages. He traveled back to the Hold with Dateko’s Knights and the Knights of Karasuno, as well as Semi with the Fukurodani fighters. The atmosphere was significantly different than when they left, filled with laughter and chatter, as opposed to the heavy dread of heading to battle.

Hinata hummed a little tune as he bounced along on his small horse. Typically, he would be arguing with Kageyama, but he was distracted by Akaashi riding on the other side of him. He leaned forward to glance at the soft-spoken man as he listened politely to Kageyama’s awkward sputtering. He did not observe anything in the man’s responses that hinted he was interested in his friend, causing a seed of worry to grow in his mind.

Love was certainly a scary thing, Hinata had to admit as he resumed his tune and taking in the scene around him. Sometimes it worked out well, like in Daichi and Kuroo’s case. They were open about their feelings right from the start, and complemented each other well. Daichi was always kind though a bit stern with his knights when they lived at Karasuno, but Hinata squirmed with delight at seeing him get flustered over something Kuroo whispered in his ear.

But then there was the hushed rumor about Sir Semi and the Prince. Even if they were just friends, Semi had obviously adored him. A betrayal like that...Hinata prayed that the honorable knight would heal and maybe find someone better.

He heard Akaashi chuckle at something Kageyama had said. For his friend’s sake, he hoped he wouldn’t suffer a heartbreak. Hinata at least trusted Akaashi not to stab him in the gut, and had faith that the older man had the maturity to let Kageyama down easy.

As they entered the gates to Dateko, Lord Moniwa jogged up to meet them with a smile.

“Master Daichi! It’s true? The King has returned?”

Daichi smiled back at him as dismounted. “Yes, it’s true. He remained behind to try to enter the City himself, sending a message to the Prince to step down from the throne.”

“Do you think it’ll work? Do you think the Prince will step down?”

“Nope, but the King won’t take no for an answer I’m sure. I’m ordered to continue as usual until he handles the situation with the Prince.” He glanced around across the yard as the rest of the knights poured in around him to settle down and get back to work. He frowned as he leaned in toward Lord Moniwa. “Um, I don’t see Kuroo. Is he busy, or…”?

“Oh! He saw you coming and rushed back to your quarters. He said to meet him there immediately to discuss something urgent. He also said not to remove your armor, though I wasn’t sure why.”

Daichi’s cheeks flushed bright red as he coughed into his gloved hand. “Oh, never mind that. I should go find him. Hinata, can you take my horse back?”

“Of course, Daichi-san!” He chirped as he took the reins. He hopped along in between the two horses, happy to be back in one piece. He had been terrified to the point of sickness when they left to fight in an open battle, but like the other knights he knew his duty. His limbs felt like putty from the overwhelming relief of the King’s fortuitous return.

Hinata took his time untacking both the horses, setting his saddle on the fence while he wobbled into the stable with Daichi’s to set it in a safe place. He had just secured it on a rack when he heard a soft voice from up in the loft.

“Shouyou?”

He glanced up to see Kenma’s hooded face peeking above the ladder, his large eyes blinking down at him.

Hinata lit up as he ran up to the ladder and jumped more than half way up it. “Kenma!” He yelled as he poked his head up right in front of Kenma, whose cheeks had a twinge of pink while his lips curled up in a shy smile.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” He murmured softly.

“You were worried about me?!” Hinata asked loudly, his beaming face edging closer.

Kenma leaned back slightly, “Of course, you’re really clumsy. I thought you’d get hurt for sure.”

“I’m not clumsy, I’m a good fighter!”

Kenma shrugged, “You’re a good fighter, but also a clumsy one.”

“Oh yeah? I’ll show you!” Hinata bantered back with an excited grin as he launched himself the rest of the way up the ladder and into the loft. He caught his foot on the last rung and plunged forward, knocking Kenma back into a pile of hay with himself on top of him.

Hinata lifted his head from the hay next to Kenma head and spit out little pieces of straw, “Bleh! Oh! Sorry Kenma! Did I hurt you?” He gasped as he noticed he was mere inches above Kenma, his beautiful face staring back up at him like he was entranced. Finally, he gave his head a little shake.

“I’m okay...though you hardly proved your point,” He quipped as his lips curled into a smirk.

Hinata pursed his lips together, his eyebrows furrowing down. “Let me try again, I’ll do it better this time,” He moved to pull away when Kenma’s hand shot up and gripped into his shirt, keeping him in place. Then with a slight tug pulled Hinata lower as the flush in Kenma’s cheeks began to grow.

“No... stay here.”

Hinata gulped as he hovered, losing himself in the soothing amber of Kenma’s eyes and the way his long dark lashes fanned over them delicately. “You...want me to stay right here?”

“Well, maybe a bit closer.”

Hinata giggled, his smile growing wider as he dropped his body slightly lower. “Like this?” Excitement squirmed through his veins, his heart thudding all the way into his ears.

Kenma gave his shirt another tug so he nearly fell. He could feel Kenma’s breath on his face when he whispered, “No, like this.”

Kenma reached his lips up and caressed them against Hinata’s. They were warm and smooth, and tasted like a sunset oozing pinks and purples across a dozing sky. He lowered his body completely onto Kenma’s slender frame, his hand sliding up to slip into his silky blonde locks.  His other hand ran down his side and settled onto his narrow hip. Kenma shivered at the contact, and after releasing Hinata’s shirt he reached his arms around his neck and pulled him in deeper. The gentleness of their kisses was enough for Hinata’s body to feel like it was overheating. He whined into Kenma’s mouth when he felt the long delicate fingers grip into his back and claw into him. Instinctively his hips pressed into Kenma’s, rubbing it just the right way to cause Kenma to release his lips with a gasp, his eyes squeezed shut as he inhaled deeply. Hinata’s eyes flickered across the delicate features of his face, and with a smirk he slid his hand up into his shirt. Kenma’s eyes flew open as a cute little squeal escaped his throat.

“You’re really sensitive, aren’t you Kenma?” Hinata teased as his fingers grazed the slender torso and feeling goosebumps erupt across his soft skin. Kenma glared at him and began to squirm out of his hold. Hinata’s hands were too quick for him though, and slid around his back to hold him in place. With a joyful laugh Hinata dropped his face back down to kiss the pout off Kenma’s lips. They eased immediately with a satisfied hum, and as they wrapped themselves around each other they lost all sense of time and place. They didn’t even notice the voices entering the stable and shuffling below the loft.

Hinata inhaled against Kenma’s skin, relishing in every movement of their lips and tongues moving together in a wild dance of emotion. The heat in his abdomen was growing at an alarming rate, and Hinata began to wonder how far they should go.

Suddenly the planks underneath them moved with a loud clack, and they both split apart with a yelp. They were shocked still, and turned toward the edge of the loft when suddenly Bokuto’s curious face appeared above the ladder. His eyes flickered over the two of them, and a wolfish grin spread across his face.

“Hey, hey, hey! What’s going on here?” He asked slyly, his eyebrows wiggling up and down.

“None of your business,” Kenma pouted, crossing his arms tightly across his front.

Bokuto snorted, “Nice work, Chibi-chan! Kenma’s a shy one, you must be a wizard!”

Hinata’s face brightened into a shining smile, “Thanks, Bokuto-san!”

“Don’t encourage him,” Kenma said grumpily as he nudged Hinata’s arm.

Bokuto chuckled maniacally, “Well, I’ll let you two get back to it!” His face disappeared, and his steps sounded like thunder as he ran out of the stable. They just barely heard his voice echo out, “Akaaaaaashi, you won’t believe what I caught Kenma doing!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am almost completely done writing the whole story, I can hardly believe it! The rest of the chapters should come pretty quickly as I finish it up, I can't wait to share it with you guys! As always, comments are appreciated, I love each one of them!


	18. Chapter 18

When Kuroo awoke the next morning, he felt like he’d been stampeded over by all the warhorses in the camp. Every muscle in his body ached, and his bleary morning mind had trouble figuring out why. As he inhaled deeply, he smiled as Daichi’s scent filled him up completely. Without even opening his eyes, he could tell his face was laying on his lover’s plushy chest, his hand grazing over his rippling stomach and feeling old scars marring the warm skin under his fingertips. He finally fluttered his eyes open and glanced up, a surge of excitement flowing through his chest at the chance to observe Daichi sleeping. Typically, Kuroo would be the one to sleep in, but he must have worn Daichi out with their eventful evening the night before.

Kuroo gently lifted himself, biting his lip so he wouldn’t break out into giggles. Daichi’s warm brown eyes were shut, his long black eyelashes fanning across his cheeks. His cheek still bore the scars from when the vase cracked against his face, but Kuroo didn’t think it detracted from his noble appearance in the slightest. He glanced lower to Daichi’s lips, parted as shallow breaths past through. With a soft sigh Kuroo lowered himself, pressing his lips against Daichi’s. He pulled back but kept hold of Daichi’s lower lip until it sprang free and back into place. It wasn’t enough to rouse his sleepy lover, so decided he’d have to resort to more drastic actions.

He wiggled his body under the sheets and began pressing kisses on Daichi’s more sensitive areas. His lips lingered over his nipple, letting his tongue roll over it a few times. Daichi moaned and began to shift his body back and forth. Encouraged, Kuroo moved down the line between his stomach muscles, letting his tongue slide between the grooves as he traveled lower and lower.

“Somebody’s frisky this morning,” He heard Daichi mutter in a groggy voice. Kuroo chuckled, letting his hot breath glide across Daichi’s sensitive areas and delighting when Daichi gave a shiver. He felt rough fingers dig into his hair and give him a little tug upward. With his smirk outrageously wicked, he slid up the length of the godlike body underneath him until his eyes met Daichi’s. His lover didn’t look amused. In fact, he looked like he was still half asleep as he blinked up at Kuroo.

“Good morning,” He purred as gave Daichi’s lips a little lick.

“Morning,” He answered with a soft smile. He continued running his hands through Kuroo’s mess of hair, lulling Kuroo into almost a dozing state as he dropped his head back into Daichi’s chest.

“Can we just stay here all day?”

“No, I have a lot to do.”

Kuroo gasped and sat straight up, straddling Daichi in all his naked glory. “How could you leave me for... _work_ ,” He spoke the last word like it left a bad taste in his mouth, shutting his eyes and sticking his tongue out for good measure. When Daichi didn’t answer, he opened his eyes to see Daichi frowning as his eyes flickered all over his body.

“Are you okay?” Daichi finally asked, his hands reaching up to caress his torso. Kuroo glanced down and flinched in shock. His entire body was littered with bruises of various sizes.

“Oh, so that’s why I feel like shit.”

“I’m sorry,” Daichi said softly, sitting up himself and reaching his hands up Kuroo’s back to pull him in closer.

“It’s not your fault. They have padding you can wear when you’re sparring, right? Maybe I can put some of that on next time we do it with your armor on.”

Daichi chuckled as he began pressing light kisses on individual bruises across Kuroo’s stomach. “Or maybe we should not make love with my armor on?”

“Hmmmm, no way. It was fun while we were doing it, though a little cold.” He stroked his hand through Daichi’s soft hair, gasping occasionally when Daichi’s lips would tickle a sensitive area.

“How about I show up in my armor and you strip it off me?”

A mixture of a moan and a growl rumbled through his chest. Daichi’s face was just dropping below his belly button when there was a knock at the door.

“Noooooooo,” Kuroo moaned.

“Who is it?” Daichi called, resting his face against Kuroo’s stomach.

“It’s Yaku, Daichi. It’s urgent, otherwise I wouldn’t interrupt your love fest.”

With quite a bit of grumbling, Kuroo flopped down onto the bed next to Daichi, completely exposed.

“Just a minute, Yaku,” Daichi called as he slid out of bed and reached for some pants. “Aren’t you gonna cover up?” He asked Kuroo with an eyebrow raised.

“Nope!” Kuroo answered with a toothy grin. “If he’s gonna interrupt us, he’s gonna get an eyeful.”

Daichi rolled his eyes and opened the door to admit Yaku inside.

“Sorry about this, we just got a--oh for fucks sake, Kuroo. I’m sorry Daichi but I do have to cut your boyfriend’s dick off.”

“Noooo,” Kuroo cried as he flipped off the bed and tried to squirm underneath.

“I warned you! I told you the last time you wafted your dick in my face I was gonna cut it off. Now get over here!”

Daichi laid a hand on his shoulder. “Yaku...do you think this once you could let him go? I’d prefer him all in one piece. Now, what’s so urgent.”

“Oh, here, it’s from the King.”

“Thank you!” Daichi grabbed the letter from Yaku and looked over it quickly. It didn’t take long, since the King was always concise with his information.

“Is it good news?” Kuroo asked, his head poking out from under the bed.

“Well, I’m not sure if I’d call it good. The Prince refused to give up the throne, as I expected, though he did let the King’s messengers go back unharmed, thank goodness. The King is leaving his army around the City for the time being and is coming here with a small troop, including the Royal Guard. He needs me to send some provisions to his army immediately. Yaku, do you know if Lord Moniwa is up?”

“Yes, I saw him a bit ago downstairs.”

“Perfect, if you see him on your way out, tell him I need to speak with him immediately and I’ll be right down.”

“Sure thing! You get to keep your dick today, Kuroo, but next time it’s gone,” He said over his shoulder as he shut the door behind him.

As soon as the coast was clear, Kuroo slithered out from underneath the bed, dusting his skin off as Daichi rushed to get dressed.

“Do you really have to go so soon?”

Daichi laughed softly as he slipped a shirt over his head. “You know I do, and so do you. Just because the King’s back doesn’t mean we get to be lazy.” As he tucked his shirt into his pants, Daichi glanced over and gave Kuroo a once over with his eyes. “I wouldn’t do much physical activity today, if I were you. You should rest your body.”

Kuroo walked over and draped long arms around Daichi’s neck, pressing his body in close. “Oh? Are you worried about me _Master_ Daichi?” He said slyly, his devilish smirk hovered above Daichi’s lips.

“I’m always worried about you, handsome troublemaker,” He said as he reached his lips up to meet Kuroo in a tender kiss, teetering on the edge of a chuckle.

 

The cheers roared throughout Dateko as the King entered with his men. Daichi watched him approach on his horse with Lord Moniwa by his side.

“This is the kind of welcome he should have had when he entered the City,” Lord Moniwa said softly, his face cast with a touch of sadness.

“I agree, he deserved a lot more than the treatment he’s received.”

“It’s a pity he did not leave you in charge from the beginning.”

Daichi laughed and shook his head, “Lord Moniwa...I was twelve.”

Lord Moniwa smiled kindly at him, “And you would have done a far better job than the Prince.” He gave Daichi a pat on the back as he walked toward the King.

The King looked pleased to see Lord Moniwa and greeted him politely. “Thank you for your unwavering loyalty, Lord Moniwa. And I appreciate you supporting my nephew, he’s a good boy.”

Daichi winced at the word ‘boy’, while Lord Moniwa gave a low bow. “It is my honor, Your Majesty. Are you hungry?”

“No, I had some rations this morning, I should be good for a while.”

“Then perhaps some tea so you can rest while we discuss our next plan of action?”

The King nodded, “Yes, let’s do that.”

They settled into a comfortable room that overlooked the forest outside of the large wall. After being served some tea, they began discussing all that the Prince had said. The King was furious at his brother, and extremely worried about the citizens still trapped within the walls. He told them what General Washijo and the rest of knights saw as they went through, Yamagata and Ohira saying it had even degenerated in the day since they’d left. One thing they all agreed on, they needed to do something quickly.

There was a knock at the door, and they turned to see Sugawara peek his head in nervously. “Um, I’m sorry to disturb you.”

“It’s alright, Sugawara, you can come in,” The King said gently, a faint smile on his lips. Suga began to blush and entered with a bow.

“What is it, Suga?” Daichi asked.

“Oh, I knew His Majesty was here, and I wondered if there was anything you needed. I see you have tea, would you like anything to eat?”

“No thank you, there’s really nothing I require at the moment,” The King answered, and Suga gave a little pout.

“Oh, I was hoping there was something I could do for you.”

The smile on the King’s lips grew a little more, and Daichi began to have a bad feeling in his gut. “Don’t worry about it, your presence is all I really need.”

Suga broke out into a fit of giggles, the blush growing on his cheeks. “Thank you, Your Majesty, you’re too kind.”

“Please have a seat, we could always use your input.”

Suga sat next to Daichi, who could feel the excitement reverberating from Suga’s skin. When the King finally turned to say something to Lord Moniwa, Daichi leaned in to his friend.

“What the hell was that,” He whispered.

“What was what? I’m just offering my assistance to the King,” He said, pasting a smile across his face and failing to look innocent. When Daichi stared back at him, unconvinced, he giggled and said in a low voice, “I’d offer anything I have to that man.”

Daichi had to cover snort with a cough into his hand, and Suga bit his lip as he gave Daichi a couple rough pats on the back. The King and Lord Moniwa glanced over at him, and he waved a hand in front of him.

“Forgive me, a little tea went down the wrong pipe.”

The King leaned forward and looked him in the eye. “You should drink your tea slowly, Daichi.” Satisfied with his lecture he leaned back, not noticing Suga burying his face in his hand to keep from laughing.

“My men are tired of war and bloodshed, the last thing we want is to fight against soldiers from our own Kingdom to take back our own City,” The King said, his fingers drumming against his knee.

“I understand, Your Majesty. Is there any way to enter the City without breaking down the main gate?”

“There are the side gates, but they’re small and couldn’t fit the number of soldiers we’d need to break through,” Daichi replied.

The King nodded, “I agree, from what I’ve heard he has the entire Nohebi army inside the City, and I’m sure many will be attending every gate. I am tired of fighting, but I cannot let Satori remain on the throne any long”

There was another knock at the door, and when the King called for them to enter, Kuroo shuffled in and froze once he saw the King sitting there.

“Oh! Your Majesty!” He bent his body over in half in a sloppy bow. “Forgive me, I didn’t know you were in here, I just...needed to speak with Daichi.”

The King cocked his head as he regarded Kuroo silently, his eyes lingering particularly on his hair. Finally, he said, “Stand up straight. Yes, I thought so, you’re Daichi’s friend from his youth. Kuroo?”

Kuroo’s eyes grew wide. “Um, Yes, Your Majesty, I didn’t know you knew me?”

The King chuckled softly, “I remember you sneaking into the gardens and the castle at all times of the day and night, following Daichi around. Many times, you were caught and thrown out, but I remember even finding you in his bed one morning when were supposed to go hunting, fast asleep.”

Kuroo’s mouth dropped open, unable to grasp a string of coherent words. Daichi was surprised as well, but a little more focused. “You did, Your Majesty?”

“Yes. Normally I’d have some issue with it, but he never caused any harm. Besides, I knew how fond of him you were, and it was hard for you to make friends around that time. I believe he was one of the children I found an apprenticeship for, correct? How did that turn out?” He asked Kuroo, who had finally been able to close his jaw, but winced at the question.

“Um, it was going very well, Your Majesty, but I had to quit only after a year or two. I... went back to being a thief.”

The King looked surprised, but before he could answer, Daichi raised his hand up. “Your Majesty, Kuroo only went back to thievery to steal back money from the Prince when he collected too much in taxes, and give it back to the people. He’s one of the reason’s the Kingdom was able to stay fed and healthy the past few years.”

The King’s face softened and he gazed back at Kuroo. “Stealing for a noble cause? These are strange times indeed.”

“Kuroo, you said you needed to speak with me?” Daichi asked, noticing a letter in his hand.

“Oh! This letter just arrived by raven, and it’s addressed to you. There was no identity of the sender on it, but...well here, you can read it yourself.”

Daichi took the letter from him and glanced over it.

 

_Master Daichi-_

_I have a way for the King and his soldiers to enter the Kingdom. I cannot guarantee there will be no bloodshed, but certainly a lot less if he should tear down the gate with his army. I can discuss the details with you, but only you. Included with this letter is a map of a crossroads just inside the forest. Meet me there tomorrow night at midnight, and come alone. If you bring anyone with you the deal is off, and you can find your own way into the City._

 

Daichi sighed and handed the letter to the King so he could read it as well. After they passed it around, Lord Moniwa shook his head.

“This sounds like a trap, Master Daichi, I don’t like it.”

“I agree,” The King said, “I will not have you putting yourself in harm’s way.”

“Perhaps he won’t have to?” Suga suggested, his eyes flickering across the letter. He glanced up to see everyone waiting for him to continue. “Kuroo and his men are geniuses of stealth. I’m sure they could hide in the trees without anyone knowing the difference. And looking at this map, our Karasuno Knights could be waiting further back. If there’s trouble, Kuroo and his men could defend Daichi long enough for the rest of the knights to come to his rescue.”

“That could work, otherwise there’s no way I’d let him go,” Kuroo said, his eyes locking with Daichi’s.

The King was silent as he stared into the floor in front of him, his finger tapping against his lips. “Yes, good thinking Sugawara. And if this letter is legitimate, we may be able to take the Kingdom back without an all-out war.”

 

Daichi watched as his breath escaped his mouth and curled up into the chilly air, rising into the creaky, bare branches of the trees above. The group of them wandered together through the forest as they trekked through the pitch black, the cats and the crows. They were set up in a defensive formation surrounding Daichi. Tsukishima and Hinata were on guard in the front, Asahi toward his right side along the edge of the forest and Tanaka on the left. Nishinoya’s eyes darted everywhere, his body tense and ready for action as he trotted just in front of Daichi. Directly behind him stood Sugawara and Kageyama, the rest of the Karasuno Knights spread out further back, and scattered among them and the trees were the cats. Kenma and Yaku had gone on ahead to do some scouting and make sure there was to be no ambush.

Daichi glanced up next to him, where Kuroo was uncharacteristically serious, his lips in a tight line as his eyes focused in front of them. Occasionally, he would reach his hand back caress the back of Daichi’s head or protectively settle on the small of his back. Daichi was confident in his own abilities, but nevertheless it gave him some comfort having Kuroo walk beside him, looking out for him in his own way.

Kenma and Yaku appeared in the inky black of the night, each of them quieter than a puff of smoke.

“The way’s completely clear up ahead, no traps or lurking assassins. Don’t worry, we checked thoroughly, Kuroo,” Yaku assured them.

“Good,” Kuroo said, breathing out a sigh of relief. “Now, I want you two to go on ahead down the right path, so we’ll know they’re approaching and if we should be on guard. Kai and Fukunaga, you take the left one in case they come from that direction. Remember the signals for a normal approach and the ‘it’s a trap’ one.”

They all nodded and sped off into the dark, floating over brush as if they had wings.

“Wow, Kenma’s so amazing,” Hinata cooed as he stared off into the forest, his eyes wide and sparkling.

Tsukishima snickered, “That’s cuz you’re so pathetic.”

“I am not!”

A rousing series of shushes came from all directions, and Hinata hunched into himself, his cheeks burning red.

“I think this would be a good spot for your knights to wait, Daichi,” Kuroo suggested as he glanced around.

“Yeah, they should be able to hear if there’s a ruckus up head. Alright, everyone has their instructions?”

They all answered affirmatively in unison with straight backs and focused attention.

“We’re leaving him in your hands, Kuroo,” Suga said, a smile on his lips, but his eyes were tense with worry.

“Don’t sweat over it, Suga. I’ll die before I let anything happen to him.”

“Let’s not let it come to that, Tetsu. Suga, watch over the crew, alright? Ennoshita, I’m leaving you in charge.”

Suga’s lips twitched the side. “I’m not in charge?”

“Nope! Good luck!” Daichi answered with a firm pat on his friend’s back and began to make his way down the path, the rest of the cats spreading out into the trees like wisps in the night. Kuroo cupped his cheek, sweeping in for one last tender kiss upon his lips, and with one last wink he faded into the trees.

If Daichi had not been trained by his own uncle, he would have felt completely alone on the rough path through the trees. No sound could be heard but the occasional hoot of an owl, the wind passing through the trees, and the thunder of his heart slamming against the walls of his chest. But Daichi could feel a certain set of warm eyes on him, keeping watch like a guardian angel...albeit a naughty one.

His feet at last stepped into the crossroads, illuminated by faint tendrils of moonlight veiled by a thin layer of cloud. He forced the appearance of confidence as he stood proud and tall, but his hand danced over the hilt of his sword as wriggling worms of nervousness slithered underneath his skin.

It was just past midnight when his ears picked up on a faint noise. His head jerked toward the path to the right as three figures formed into view, one walking slightly ahead of the other two. All three wore cloaks with hoods draped over their heads, the two in the back wearing gleaming armor underneath, though he could not make out any identifier on the front. The person in front wore very fine robes, though Daichi could just spot a dagger glinting on his belt underneath the cloak.

With a quick glance to the path down the left and sensing no person down that way to sneak up behind him, he turned to give the three his full attention.

“Identify yourself, or I’ll draw my sword,” Daichi warned, his hand gripping onto the hilt, his muscles tense as he prepared himself.

The man in front stopped and held out a hand, and the two behind him paused. “I honestly did not expect you to come alone,” The voice slid out from underneath the hood. “Who would have thought you would be so foolish.”

Daichi’s hand began to pull the sword from its sheath, the two knights mimicking the action when the voice spoke again.

“Enough, I misspoke. I did not come here to harm you, I only thought you would have been more cautious. You do not need to fear me.”

“Prove it. You still have yet to reveal yourself.”

There was a breath of silence as every person stood frozen in place. At last the hooded figure gave a slight nod, and in unison all three men lifted the hoods and revealed their faces. The man standing in front of Daichi was none other than Daishou Suguru, the Lord of Nohebi. The two behind him were his two most trusted knights, Takachiho Yoshiya and Numai Kazuma. Daishou’s face had changed considerably since Daichi had left. The cunning eyes and sneering smile were no longer present, replaced by dark circles under his eyes and a heaviness in all his features.

Daichi blinked in surprise and did not remove his hand from the hilt. “What the hell? And you want me to believe this isn’t a trap? I know it was you who sent the assassin after me, why should I trust you for a second?!”

Daishou didn’t react to the accusation, but simply looked down at the ground in front of him. “It was my assassin, I can’t deny it. The order came from the Prince himself, I was simply following his command. I cannot give you a reason to trust me, I know I deserve none of it. But things have changed, don’t you think?” He asked as he raised his eyes to meet Daichi’s. “The King has returned, and I... I may not be innocent, but even I cannot stand any more blood on my hands.”

Daichi narrowed his eyes at him, looking for any hint of deception. Either Daishou was the greatest actor in the world, or he truly wanted to end the tyranny. “Alright, let’s say for a moment I believed you, and you wanted to betray the Prince you’ve manipulated onto the throne. I still cannot trust you. This could easily be a trap to destroy the King and all who are behind him. How can we rely on you as we enter the city under your direction?”

Daishou bit his lip as he contemplated his answer. “I want to make a deal with you. That is how you know you can rely on me.”

“What kind of deal? You want to go unpunished for your crimes once this is all said and done? I cannot guarantee that, it would be up to the King, and I doubt he would go along with it.”

“No... that’s not what I want.” He looked uneasy, and the two knights behind him exchanged a knowing glance. “The Prince...he has something in his possession that belongs to me. Before the King enters the City with his troops, I want Kuroo and his men to enter first, sneak into the castle, find it and protect it before the Prince knows.”

Daichi frowned as he pondered his answer. What kind of item would the Prince have stolen for Daishou to be so worried. “What is it that he has in his possession? What would they have to steal back?”

Daishou’s face looked pained, his lip trembling as he spoke softly, “My fiancée...Mika.”

“He has your fiancée?!”

Daishou nodded, “She’s a hostage, being used to make sure I cooperate. She doesn’t even know she’s in danger, and if I even warn her who knows what the Prince would do. I want her safe, and I will do whatever you like. _Please_.”

“And your men,” Daichi said, nodding to the two knights behind him, “they’re okay with you betraying the Prince for Mika?”

Numai raised his head, “Our leader is Lord Daishou, we follow his word. And Lady Mika is a beloved member of Nohebi Village. We refuse to let anything happen to her.”

Beside him Takachiho nodded, “As far as Lord Daishou’s main knights and seasoned soldiers go, we will follow Lord Daishou. Some of our younger knights, however, are already infected by the Prince’s words. We cannot rely on all of them, so we cannot expect all of them to stand down. We can, however, help pave the way so not many will stand against the King.”

“Yes,” Daishou said, stepping closer to Daichi, “We will order our troops to various parts of the city and the castle where they can be easily cornered and cut off, leaving the gates close to the castle lightly guarded. Kuroo and his men should be able to use their methods of taking out those guards and clearing the path for the King and finding Mika and rescuing her.”

“There’s only one issue,” Daichi said, feeling only slightly better about the plan. “What about the Prince? Would if he suspects something?”

Fear flickered in Daishou’s eyes, but his jaw remained clenched with determination. “Do not worry about the Prince. I’ll take care of him.”

 

Semi sat up in his cot, his back leaning against a mountain of pillows. Excitement was crackling throughout Dateko about their plans to finally overtake the Prince. Even still, the medical quarters remained strangely tranquil for Semi since he hadn’t received many visitors apart from Daichi, the King and occasional member of the Royal Guard checking up on him. There was one vivacious presence that remained conspicuously absent over the last couple of days, and Semi’s stomach felt queasy as he had a desperate need to find out why Bokuto hadn’t shown up. Did he say something to offend him? Maybe he got tired of him and decided to hang out with someone else? Maybe he’d rather spend time with Akaashi.

Semi sucked in a quick breath as jealousy grabbed hold of his chest, its filthy fingers digging into his skin to tear out his heart. Semi rubbed his hand his hand in soothing circles over his chest, trying to shove out the negative thoughts clanging around in his head. He always suspected there was something between Bokuto and Akaashi with how close they were. And he knew that he was nothing more than a friend to Bokuto, so why should he even care? But he did care… overwhelmingly so. He missed the feeling of Bokuto’s warm arms wrapped around his back, his scent filling his lungs as he embedded his face into his muscled chest. He missed the loud, boisterous voice that rang out with cheers and laughter, capturing attention wherever he went. He missed Bokuto.

He had no right to demand his affection, but Semi was never one to sit back and let things happen. He was a man of action. If Bokuto wouldn’t come to him, he’d go to him. He threw his legs off the cot and gripped the side. At least his wound had healed enough that he could move on his own, albeit with some pain. After a few deep breaths he grunted to his feet, his muscles cracking as he flexed them for the first time in a while. The doctor had given him a walking stick to help ease him into activity, so he lifted it from its spot where it was leaning against the wall and made his way slowly out of the medical quarters.

It was late afternoon, and the sun was just beginning to dip behind the colossal iron wall surrounding Dateko. Most of the knights milling about seemed to be completing their duties and winding down for an early evening. No one seemed to pay him any mind as he meandered about, his eyes fluttering around as he searched for one specific person. He was just rounding the stable when he nearly ran smack into Akaashi.

“Oh, Sir Semi. I didn’t realize you were walking around. Are you feeling okay?”

“Um, yes, much better thank you. It feels good to stretch my legs.” He looked over Akaashi’s shoulder, but saw no one else following behind him. “So, Bokuto’s not with you?”

Semi had hardly ever seen Akaashi smile, but the faintest whisper of one flickered on his lips. “No, he’s just outside the gate at the edge of the forest, cutting some firewood. It’s actually getting late, I was about to go get him, however, I’m a little preoccupied myself. Do you think you might be up for traveling that far? I’d really appreciate it.”

Semi didn’t think he looked preoccupied at all, but it was a good opportunity for him to be with Bokuto for even a few minutes, and stretch his legs at the same time. “Sure, I’ll do it. Just inside the forest?”

Akaashi smiled, obviously this time, and nodded. “Yes, really you’d be doing me a huge favor.”

“Uh huh,” Semi answered as he waved him off. It took him a while to make it to the gate, and after a quick word to the guards manning it he hobbled onto the path that led into the forest. The air had grown chilly as it whipped through the bare branches and gliding across his face. He shivered, wishing he had thrown a warmer coat on since the sun was going down. As he breathed deeply, the musky fragrance of falling leaves and earth filled his lungs and eased a lot of tension he had been holding in. It had been ages since he’d simply walked in nature. It was easy for him to forget the healing effect of it, though he used to do it often before the King left for war.

He wasn’t far into the forest when he heard the clack of an axe striking and the sound of wood clunking on the ground. He wandered toward the sound as it bounced off the trees, his feet crunching on the blanket of fallen leaves.  As he turned down a bend in the path, it opened to a small clearing illuminated by the streams of light from the sun easing down into the earth. Bokuto was in the center of it next to a stump and a pile of wood. His damp hair had lost its hold and fell down his face and ears in black and silver tendrils. His arm came up and wiped his brow as sweat trickled down the flexed muscles of his bare back. His shirt was hanging on a low branch a few feet away, and Semi watched as Bokuto set another block of wood on the stump, heave the axe up into the air and bring it down with perfect precision, splitting it cleanly down the middle.

Semi could hardly breathe as he watched him, wondering if he’d ever been so affected by just the sight of someone. He contemplated scurrying away before Bokuto saw him, knowing his face was most likely bright red from observing him.  Stepping backward the way he came, his foot came down a twig, the snap ringing out in the quiet evening air.

“Semi? What’re you doing out here?” Bokuto asked, knocking the axe down into the stump to keep it there. He rushed over to where he was standing, and Semi gulped as he watched his stomach muscles flex as he moved. “Are you okay?” He asked in a soft voice, his eyebrows knitted in concern.

“I’m fine, I just—Akaashi asked me to come get you, it’s getting late.”

Bokuto cocked his head at him, a bit of his hair falling past his eyes. “Why wouldn’t he come himself? You’re injured!”

“Oh, I was already walking around, getting my exercise. He said he was busy with something.”

Bokuto nodded slowly, a slight smile playing on his lips. “Ah, I see. I’m sorry you had to go through the trouble.”

“Oh, it was no trouble. I, uh, haven’t seen you for a while. You must have been busy.”

“No, not really,” Bokuto answered quickly, not thinking much about it. It stung Semi to hear it, nervousness creeping into his skin at the reason why he’d been absent from his side. He tried thinking of a response when he noticed Bokuto biting his lip, looking a little uneasy himself. “I just wanted to give you a little space,” Bokuto finally admitted, his arms crossing in front of his naked chest as he looked away from Semi.

“Why would you do that?” Semi asked. He prayed Bokuto couldn’t hear the way his heart was pounding in his chest.

“Well, I know I can be a bit overbearing and protective. After we met up with the King a lot of people told me I was being clingy, and I was probably irritating you. I’m sorry If I was, I just didn’t want anything to happen to you.”

“You didn’t irritate me!” Semi cried, stepping forward and grasping Bokuto’s sweltering arm. “I didn’t even think you were clingy. It felt good…I was going through so much shit, I never even had to ask for help because you were there the entire time. I was betrayed by the one person I cared about most, and it tore me apart! But never once have I doubted you, Bokuto, or thought for a moment I couldn’t trust you. I…don’t want you to stay away from me,” Semi finished, his tone softening as embarrassment from his outburst began to seep in.

He removed his trembling hand from Bokuto’s arm and began to step back in a panic. Bokuto chased after him, his eyes warm and intense as they gazed back at him. Semi came to a stop when his back ran into the trunk of a large tree. Bokuto didn’t stop advancing until he was hovering, his hands pressing against the bark on either side of him as he looked down at him. Semi no longer felt cold as the heat came off Bokuto’s skin in waves, enveloping him in his intoxicating scent.

“So, I can stay close to you?” Bokuto asked, his voice low and slightly gritty.

Semi nodded and licked his lips as he replied, “Yes…please stay.”

Bokuto’s smile was radiant as he stepped even closer, his hands slipping from the rough bark and settling on Semi’s sides. “As you wish,” He whispered as he captured his lips with his own. His fingers dug into Semi’s skin, not inflicting pain but injecting excitement as Semi gave into the kiss, dropping his walking stick and gripping into Bokuto’s firm shoulders. He felt his body press into the trunk as Bokuto’s hot, chapped lips ravaged him, moving from his mouth and up his cheek to his ear, then curling down his neck. His heart raced as he gasped from the amazing sensations cascading across his body. He shut his eyes and lost himself to Bokuto’s mercy, still not believing that his feelings were being reciprocated. His hands moved to Bokuto’s back, his nails raking across the steaming hot skin still damp from sweat.

“Aren’t you cold,” He whispered as his lips grazed Bokuto’s ear.

After a shiver from the contact, Bokuto lifted his lips from his throat enough to whisper, “Nah, I’m still hot from chopping wood. Are you?” Suddenly, he leaned his head back, his eyes traveling around Semi as he gauged his possible discomfort. The unwavering concern Bokuto had for him was enough to warm Semi from the inside, though the air itself was growing colder and he was now damp from Bokuto’s sweat.

“It is getting colder, I’m afraid I didn’t dress appropriately,” He admitted, though sad that would signal an end to their passionate kissing.

Bokuto’s fingers grazed across his forehead, pulling some of his hair away from his eyes as he smiled tenderly at him. He brought his lips in once again for a soft kiss and then set his forehead against Semi’s.

“We should be getting back so the others don’t worry. I’ll spend the rest of the night making sure you’re warm enough.” It should have been a sweet comment, but the wicked smirk curling on Bokuto’s lips told him it was anything but innocent.

The very thought of what Bokuto might have in store for him was enough to burn a fire in his belly, and suddenly he wished they were already back. “Yeah, that sounds good. _Really_ good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo as you may have noticed, to keep the plot moving I am not dwelling so much on the intimate scenes between characters, just kind of giving teasers. My previous multi chapter fic I created a series so I could develop one shots with fun scenes between characters from the same universe as the story. So, if you guys would like I could do the same with this story so I can do some little snippets of behind the scenes cute/sexy/funny scenes between any of the couples. Start thinking about it now and leave a comment encouraging me to do so! I may not choose to do it if it doesn't quite work, but the more encouragement I get, the more likely it is I'll write it! To be honest I had introduced the King's return in a chapter from Suga's prospective, but I nixed that idea cuz I wanted to leave that chapter on a cliffhanger ;) So I could always go back into that and make it a one shot, or a prequel of Daichi and Kuroo meeting...meh lots of options, I'm open.  
> Also check me out on Tumblr under the same username (stacysmash) for my updates!


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He stared at it as he attempted to process what it was when behind him he heard the ringing sound of metal, a sound that sent a shiver up his back. He turned back to Daishou who stood between him and the door, his sword drawn and held up firmly in front of him.

The evening of the invasion, Dateko was buzzing with last minute preparations as once again the knights prepared for an imminent battle, though in a completely different situation than before. Daichi stood next to the King as they observed from the doorway of the Manor.  
“How do you feel about this, Daichi?” The King asked in a grim tone.  
“The situation is delicate, a lot of things could go wrong. Though it is the best chance we have, Your Majesty.”  
The King turned to look at him. “You know, you don’t call me Uncle anymore.”  
Daichi smiled up at him, “I haven’t called you that since you were crowned. My governess would have snapped her walking stick across my behind if I would have.”  
King Wakatoshi chuckled and gave him a pat on the back. “Of course you must call me Your Majesty in public, otherwise as you said you may be punished for it. However, in private I wouldn’t mind if you called my Uncle. I miss it.”  
A warmth spread throughout Daichi’s chest. The King was the last vestige of a family that he had, and to be able to refer to it brought a great deal of comfort to Daichi.   
“Of course, Your Majesty. I will do so from now on.” They both turned back to the flurry of activity in front of them. A commotion by the paddock caught their attention, and they glanced over to find Hinata and Kageyama in yet another brawl. Daichi was about to break it up when Sugawara appeared, and with a few words and an angelic grin both of their kouhai bowed in apology and continued their work as before. Daichi sighed with relief and continued to glance around.  
“Sugawara has many talents,” The King mused, and Daichi glanced up to see him watching his friend intently.  
“Yes, too many in my opinion. Not many can compare, myself included.”  
“I’m sure that’s not quite the case, though he is very impressive… Daichi, are you two more than friends?”  
Daichi flinched in surprise and immediately shook his head. “No, Your Majesty. We’ve never been anything more than friends.”  
The King looked down at him, a flicker of skepticism behind his eyes. “Are you sure?”  
“Yes,” Daichi laughed, “I’m certain. The truth is, Your Majesty...I already have a lover.”  
It was the King’s turn to be surprised. “You have? Who is it?”  
Daichi scratched his head, suddenly incredibly nervous that his beloved Uncle may not approve of his choice. “You remember my old friend, Kuroo? Well, we’ve actually been in love for quite some time, even before I left for Karasuno.”  
“Oh...I see.” The King went silent for a while, and Daichi’s heart began to race as he tried to think of something else to say. He glanced back up at his Uncle to see his eyes still following Sugawara around, and he thought with a spark of hope it wasn’t his relationship with Kuroo that occupied his mind, but something else entirely. He decided to give his friend a taste of his own medicine and do a little meddling.  
“Why do you ask, Your Majesty? Surely it’s not just a concern over your nephew’s love life, is it?” He teased, unable to keep the smirk curling onto his face.  
The King pursed his lips, and for the first time in Daichi’s life he thought his uncle looked nervous. “I was merely curious...I have observed that Sugawara is a very attractive person, an easy to get along with. I guess I assumed he already had a lover, and you two seemed very close.”   
“Hmm, I see. Well, I can tell you that Suga currently has no lover...just to sate your curiosity of course.”  
“Ah, yes. Thank you for the information.”  
Daichi suppressed a chuckle as he replied, “Your welcome, Your Majesty. Speaking of lover, I need to check on Kuroo. He has a large task ahead of him, and I want to make sure he’s prepared.”  
“Yes, of course. I will send for you when it is time to leave. It won’t be long now.”  
Daichi opened the door to his room quietly and stood in the doorway. Kuroo was standing with his back toward him, slipping various knives in strategic places on his body. From his boots to his shirt, everything was in black and deliciously form fitting.  
“I don’t think my body in armor can hold a candle to yours in that outfit,” Daichi said, unashamedly eyeballing him up and down. “Though should we make love with you in that outfit, I’ll have to ask you to remove all pointy objects.”  
Kuroo snickered as he turned around and sauntered over to him. Daichi approached him as well, closing the door behind him and slinking his hands up Kuroo’s chest.   
“Are you ready, Daichi?” Kuroo asked as he gave him a light kiss to the forehead, his hands sliding onto his waist.  
“Hmm, as ready as I’ll ever be. Are you?”  
Kuroo huffed out a laugh, his breath floating through Daichi’s hair. “Of course, I was made for this!”’  
“Tetsu,” He whispered as he leaned his head back, looking him in the eyes. “Promise me you’ll be careful. If this turns out to be a trap, or things get too dangerous, just get out of there. What was it you said to me before? ‘I wouldn’t want to live the rest of this life without you?’ You know I feel the same.”  
Kuroo’s face grew serious as he leaned in, kissing him with unbridled passion. Daichi sunk into the kiss, reaching his arms up to wrap around his neck. They both opened wider, their breath mingling as the heat overtook them. Daichi would never get tired of kissing Kuroo. It felt like every time their lips touched they were suddenly swept to another world created just for the two of them where they were alone and safe. It always had to end though, and soon Kuroo pulled back and gazed down at him tenderly.  
“I promise, Love. I will be careful. And you too?”  
Daichi nodded, and they spent their last few minutes alone getting carried away in tender kisses, pulling their bodies as close together as they could.

Shiratorizawa City was quiet as Nohebi Knights tramped through the dark and filthy streets. Inside the homes there was the distant sound of coughing amid frantic whispers, but the soldiers paid it no mind as they continued their route. Lord Daishou had changed the route to put more troops in the heart of the city a couple days before, saying that they needed to keep the community calm and peaceful. Within the castle gates, fewer troops were present as several guards were posted at certain points. Beside the garden gate, just beside the great Oak, two guards subtly passed playing cards between them. Anytime they heard another soldier approaching, they would stiffen and slip their cards into their palms until the coast was clear.  
They were so consumed in their card game, they did not even realize that the garden had developed a strange haze. The haze developed into a thick, pinkish smoke, and they didn't even see it until it had begun to completely swamp them. By then it was too late, and the soldiers dropped to the ground into a deep slumber. There was the sound of metal clinking, and a creaking as the gate to the garden was opened. At the same moment, every gate surrounding the castle that opened up to the forest suffered the same fate.   
Following a particular route, each team of Kuroo’s cats made their way to prepare for the troops to enter. Yamamoto, Shibayama and Inuoka traveled soundlessly into the castle, setting traps to choke out troops that may be drawn out, predetermined so the invading army would be aware not get caught themselves. Yaku and Lev did the same on the opposite end of the castle.  
Kuroo, Kai and Fukunaga did not take the time to set any traps, but instead rushed into the castle completely undetected. Their objective was clear, following the precise directions Daishou had given them to find his beloved Mika and get her to safety. After slipping behind some curtains to avoid some passing guards, they finally made it to the hallway where she was being kept. Kuroo slid to the floor and peeked around the corner. Right outside her room were two soldiers, bright and alert with their hands resting on the hilt of their swords. He brought his head back and gave a nod to the other two. With gentle precision they rolled two smoke bombs down the hallway, landing a couple feet from the guards. Thankfully the guards did not notice, and soon the hallway began to fill with the sleep inducing smoke.

Up in his comfortable suite, Prince Satori sat in an armchair facing the balcony. It had grown too cold to stand out at this time of night, but he still kept the curtains open so he could gaze through the glass at the slightly obscured moon. His body had grown slightly thinner, since food had begun to diminish in the City. His slender fingers rested against his mouth as he sighed, feeling an overwhelming melancholy, wondering when his situation had become so hopeless. Did it start when his nephew came back from Karasuno? Or perhaps it was in the very beginning when he started out on the path to where he sat at that moment.  
He supposed it all began when he was much younger, when he felt submerged under an ocean of admonishments and comparisons to his elder brother. Despising Wakatoshi had almost become natural to him, he hardly remembered a time he did not hate his brother. Wakatoshi was tall and handsome with a muscular build. The spitting image of what a King should look like, even with his cool attitude. In Satori’s opinion he had absolutely no personality, but he had the suspicion that lacking a personality actually helped the public’s opinion of him, having no irritating traits for them to complain of. Satori, on the other hand, had too much personality according to his dear father. Under every harsh word and insult, he built his internal walls up high as a defense, not allowing them to hurt him any longer.  
In all the years of his life, only one person had ever been able to slip past his firm defenses built around his heart. Semi Eita, the honest knight, was friendly with Satori from the day they met. Instead of telling him to be someone else, he openly admired Satori’s brilliant mind and his ability to deflect people’s cruel comments. It was easy to fall in love with Semi, but as time moved on, it was not as easy to maintain it. He trusted Semi with his life, but when Wakatoshi would appear, he would observe as complete adoration would slip onto his lover’s face. Semi was loyal to Satori in his heart, but the rest of him belonged to someone else...his brother of all people. He ended the relationship with Semi before he could lose more of himself to a love that would only destroy him in the end.  
He felt lost without the one person who believed in him, until he met Daishou Suguru. The slippery lord also saw Satori’s disposition as something to be respected, though not in the loving way as it had been with Semi. Daishou was more of a kindred spirit, a partner in crime. As they walked side by side at the academy in Nohebi, they began threading together their dreams and aspirations, until an actual plan began to form. It was almost too easy between the two of them; like puppet masters they began to set events in motion. The only issue Daishou had with their plan was destroying the village of Fukurodani, but Daishou did not account for Satori’s expert ability of persuasion. He failed to see the strings attached to his own limbs, moving at the will of Satori’s fingers.   
Everything would have been perfect had it not been for Sawamura Daichi. The little runt of his deceased elder sister was practically a second Wakatoshi, only more approachable with a likable personality. Even before he was ten years old, the entire castle followed his every word without question. Satori knew back then he would be a thorn in his side. Discussing the issue with Daishou, they decided their plan would have to be enacted quickly, otherwise Wakatoshi would leave the Kingdom in his nephew’s hands instead of his own.  
Once he sat upon the throne, he sent Daichi deep into the far recesses of the Kingdom, to the country village of Karasuno. There he was sure to receive a mediocre education from a bunch of has beens, flightless crows that lacked ambition and skill. Satori did not know if he simply underestimated the Knights of Karasuno, or it was with the assistance of Daichi’s natural leadership that caused the crows to rise up against him with the entire Kingdom defending their backs. Satori was left alone in a den of vipers, just waiting to sink their fangs into his skin.  
A knock at the door interrupted his dark thoughts. When he spoke out for them to enter, Daishou walked into the room. His face was haggard and pale, from overwork and lack of sleep, but in his glistening green eyes was a steely determination he had not seen before in his friend.  
“What is it Daishou? Something troubling you?”  
“Yes, Your Majesty. Will you please consider letting Mika go? I’ll do whatever you ask, but please, I just want her to be safe.”  
“She is safe! There’s no reason for her to leave. Would you rather hand her over to the traitors for them to use her against you, instead?”  
Daishou considered the question for a moment, then lifted his face, his chin set firm. “Yes, I would prefer that, Your Majesty.”   
Suddenly, the entire room was illuminated by a strange orange light. Satori spun around to face the balcony window to see a flare sparkling in the air. He stared at it as he attempted to process what it was when behind him he heard the ringing sound of metal, a sound that sent a shiver up his back. He turned back to Daishou who stood between him and the door, his sword drawn and held up firmly in front of him.

At the sight of the flare, the King’s army rushed from the forest, where they had been hidden amongst the trees. They poured in from all sides, utilizing every castle gate as they slid past the lingering smoke and surrounded the castle. The Prince’s soldiers were thrown into disarray by the surprise attack, and did what they could to combat the intruders. When the Royal Guard entered with the King right behind them, their flags with the bold, white eagle against an ocean of maroon flowing in the wind, many soldiers simply surrendered rather than oppose the King directly.   
The sounds of the fighting outside of the castle did not go unheard, and more soldiers rushed to gather up their equipment to join in the battle. Inside the Nohebi barracks, half dressed soldiers threw open the door and rushed into the hallway, only to be tripped by a sharp wire, setting off a series of minor explosions and smoke bombs, incapacitating most the shocked soldiers with minor injuries and smoke induced sleep.

Inside of Mika’s bedroom, most of Kuroo’s men were strewn about, trying not to alarm the gentle hearted lady.  
“I don’t understand, how do I know my sweet Suguru sent you? You could be an enemy of his.” Her lip quivered as she tried to contain her emotions and not let hysterics get the better of her.   
Yaku groaned as he plopped down in a chair beside her, “Listen, you hear the army coming, right? We’re trying to get you to safety before the Prince’s guards come here to kill you!”  
“Why would the Prince kill me? He’s been so kind to me!”  
“It was all an act, and Daishou couldn’t tell you what danger you were in cuz then the Prince would hurt you.”  
“But how do I know Suguru told you all that, you could just be making all this up!”  
Before Yaku could retort, Kuroo stepped away from the window where he had been gazing intently at the King’s ravaging army. He knelt down in front of Mika’s chair and gazed up at her with his face set with grim focus.  
“Mika-chan? I was there when Daishou met with Master Daichi in secret, far from here in the forest. I won’t lie to you, I personally hate the man, and can’t for the life of me understand why you love him, but that’s beside the point. I heard him say with his own lips how much he loved you, begging us to rescue you from the Prince. Trust me, I did not believe that snake capable of loving anybody, but I know what it is to love someone...what it feels like and the helplessness that comes from not knowing if they’re okay. For once I knew he was speaking the truth, and whether people believe it or not, I am a man of my word. I swore that I would protect you and keep you from harm, and that’s what we’ll do. Please come with us, and set Daishou’s heart at ease?”  
She listened to Kuroo’s earnest words with wide eyes, a blush flickering across her cheeks at the mention of Daishou’s love. When he had finished, she glanced around at them all and finally gave him a nod.  
“Excellent! Now get her out of here guys, it looks like the fighting’s settled down enough for you to sneak her to safety.”  
“What do you mean get her out of here? Where will you be?!” Yaku yelled as Kuroo sped toward the door and ripping it open.  
He turned with a smirk, “I got a few things to take care of. Catch ya later!” In an instant he was gone, leaving his friends in a cloud of confusion.  
Kai gave a little clap of his hands, bringing them back to focus. “Well, might as well do as he says. Let’s go!”

Satori narrowed his eyes at Daishou, and then walked calmly to his desk where his own sword was setting on the wall. He slid it easily from its sheath and stepped forward, shrugging off his velvet robes in the process.  
“You dare challenge me, after all this time, Daishou? You do know that if you survive, the King will not go easy on you with his punishments. You’re a traitor, just like me.”  
“I know it,” Daishou answered as he stepped to the side, his muscles tensed up like a coiled snake, ready to strike. “It doesn’t matter, I will accept my punishments, though I don’t look forward to it. Only Mika matters now, and I’ve assured her safety, something you could not give me.”   
“Ah, I see, love conquers all. How will you feel when she looks on you with disdain when she finds out your many crimes?”  
Daishou winced, faltering slightly as the vision flickered in his mind. Satori took the chance and rushed forward, piercing his sword toward him. Daishou blocked in the last second, but the surprise at set him off balance. Their swords crashed against each other, sending sparks flashing in the dim lit room as they danced around the Prince’s plush furniture. Daishou had recovered from his mistake earlier, and with his jaw clenched he steadied his hands as with expert fluidity matched the Prince’s attacks.

Daichi and the Karasuno Knights were experiencing trouble of their own. At the top of the castle steps was a row of Nohebi Knights with a wall of shields keeping them from moving any further. With the higher ground they even began to push Daichi and his men further down the steps. Hinata attempted to leap into the air and bring his sword down on top of one, but starting from a lower step subdued his momentum and he had barely leapt when the soldier in front of him tipped his shield back to block his attack. Sweat poured down Daichi’s face as they fought relentlessly to no avail.   
“Master Daichi, duck!”  
At the urgent sound of Bokuto’s voice, he didn’t hesitate and dropped down onto the steps. He glanced above to see Bouto’s large form leap to his side and bury his giant axe into the shield in front of him, splintering it into hundreds of pieces. The soldier holding it fell flat onto his back under the force, staring up at Bokuto eyes wide with terror. Bokuto did not even hesitate to raise it again and take a swipe at the one next to him, shattering the shield and knocking that soldier down with it. Akaashi slipped through the air like a bird in flight, sweeping into the hole in the shield wall and whipping his two daggers out to fight from behind. Several soldiers on the end whirled their heads to see what had happened, and taking one look at Bokuto’s axe sent them retreating into the castle. Daichi lifted himself up to his feet, keeping aware of the axe blade whirling through the air.   
“Nicely done, Bokuto!”  
“Hey, hey, hey! It’s my specialty!” Sending the axe into a marble bust and sending it crumbling into pieces on two knights who were hiding behind it.  
Daichi turned as Akaashi kicked a soldier down the steps into the waiting arms of Konoha. “Have you got this handled here? We’re going to press forward!”  
Akaashi nodded, “We’ll take care of them, go ahead.”  
Daichi called to his knights to follow, and they barreled into the castle. They were met just inside the doors with a flurry of arrows, but their reflexes were on point as Karasuno lifted their shields just in time to receive them.   
“Ah ha! It takes more than that to take us out, you bastards!” Tanaka cried as he barreled forward at breakneck speed with his shield up. Ennoshita yelped and followed behind him with his sword at the ready. Tsukishima peered over his shield to see most of the Nohebi Knights momentarily shocked from Tanaka’s stampede. He stepped forward and took his shield to the side, and with great force launched it into the faces of two knights. Yamaguchi smirked at the genius of his friend’s move and stepped to the side behind a pillar. He knocked an arrow to his bow and sent it flying into a knight’s hand, dropping his sword before he could swing it at Nishinoya.  
“Dammit, Yamaguchi, that one was mine!”  
“Sorry, Senpai.”  
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!” Hinata yelled as he soared into the air, leaping clean over the Nohebi soldiers heads. They paused in their shooting as they stared stunned by the feat, enough for Daichi, Asahi and Kageyama to step forward and run their swords through their slacked bows. They had no choice but to surrender to the Karasuno Knights. Suga and Yamaguchi guarded each hallway with their own bows while the others stripped the Nohebi Knights of their weapons and tied them together.   
“Daichi,” The King’s voice called out behind him. He turned to see him climbing the last steps and entering the castle. Daichi walked toward him as he observed his Uncle take a moment to gaze about the grand foyer he had not entered in about five years.  
“Satori always did have...interesting tastes,” He said as his nose wrinkled slightly at the garishly patterned drapes.  
“Things are going smoothly here, Your Majesty.”  
“Excellent, I’ve sent the troops to wipe out the rest of the Nohebi Knights throughout the villages. The only thing that is left is to arrest my brother.”

Sweat began to trickle down Daishou’s brow. He was well known for being an excellent swordsman, but he knew when someone was better. Desperation began to take hold as he tried to quicken his stabs, hoping luck was on his side. Quickness however did not mean precision, and the sloppiness of his technique only wore him out as the Prince was able to block every blow. They were edging past an end table when Satori flung his sword at a candlestick, still flickering. The blow sent pieces of candle flying at Daishou, and he shoved his arm in front of it to deflect it. The distraction was all Satori needed to slam his sword down onto Daishou’s, sending it clattering to the ground. With barely a breath to be consumed with shock, Daishou was shoved backward by the force of Satori’s foot. He landed hard on his back, and before he opened his eyes, he felt cold hard steel lay across his throat.  
“It’s so sad it ended up like this. I really thought you were the one person who understood me, Daishou. It looks like I was mistaken. Well, I’ll give you this one gift for all your loyal years of service. If I kill you now, you’ll never have to see the look on Mika’s face when she finds out the truth about you. Any last words?”  
“I’d like to say the same to you,” A sly voice said next to Satori’s ear, and he felt a cold jagged blade against his own throat. “Drop the sword.”  
Satori blinked as he contemplated his options, but quickly decided none would work without sacrificing his own neck, so he complied and dropped the sword. Daishou scurried away, his chest heaving with panic at his close shave with death.  
“Who are you?” Satori asked, not recognizing the voice.  
The stranger snickered, “Let’s just say I’m one nasty cat you can’t get rid of.”  
Satori clenched his jaw as he realized who had a knife against his throat. “Kuroo Tetsurou, I presume?”  
“Well done! Since you’re so good at this game, let’s try another one, shall we? Do you recognize the dagger that is about to prick your skin?”  
“I can’t see it, how could I recognize it?”  
“Fair point, let’s see...it’s long, and jagged, and hmmm, it seems to be poisonous. Isn’t that right, Daishou? What’s a Nohebi dagger if it doesn’t have some ruthless poison laid into the metal, eh?”  
“So you just told me what dagger it is, I thought you wanted me to guess?” The Prince teased lightly, hoping the confidence of the words would mask his sudden trepidation.  
“Oh, not so fast. This isn’t just any Nohebi dagger...it’s the one that tried to kill Sawamura Daichi. Now, I may be just a little bit pissed off about that, Your Majesty,” Kuroo’s voice seethed, and the dagger seemed to feel closer than ever as it pressed against Satori’s throat.   
Satori could feel his heart pounding. He felt as if he was suddenly dropping through a void with his sins against his family and the Kingdom swirling around him in a vortex of justice, and now he had met his end. He tried to remain brave as he faced death, but he felt the cool chill of dread seep over him as tears began to form in his eyes.   
“Awww, is the little Princeling scared?” Kuroo gripped his fingers tight into his shoulder as he whispered, “You should be.”   
In the blink of an eye Kuroo drew the dagger back from the Prince and knocked the hilt harshly across the Prince’s head, knocking him out cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It may be a few days at least before I release the final chapter, though I’m still teetering splitting it into two since it’s proven to be a little heftier while I tie up some loose ends? Anyways, Merry Christmas if you celebrate it! If not, happy winter! If you’re in the southern hemisphere...happy summer?


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The entire City of Shiratorizawa inhaled a deep breath of fresh air as the King took his rightful place on the throne, and Daishou and Satori were locked away deep in the dungeons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter! Buckle your seatbelts, this may be a bit of an emotional roller coaster. Also this chapter ended up being twice as long as my other chapters, but I really didn't want to split it up. I hope you enjoy it :)

The entire City of Shiratorizawa inhaled a deep breath of fresh air as the King took his rightful place on the throne, and Daishou and Satori were locked away deep in the dungeons. The entirety of the Nohebi army was incapacitated and forced outside the City into makeshift retainment camps. The plan was to have them redistributed to various other villages for a complete retraining of their duties, or give them the choice to give up their knighthood for good.

The citizens of the City were sickly and malnourished, and caravans from the surrounding villages arrived with medicines, food and various supplies they would need to get back onto their feet. Bokuto and his crew reopened his tavern to work as a distribution center, giving rations of food over the counter while the seating area worked as a clinic for doctors to check over the people and give them the medicine they need. It was a slow process, but every day the atmosphere brightened through everyone’s hard work, and the health and vitality of the City began to grow.

The King himself took great care acclimatizing his soldiers back into daily life and reuniting them with their families and friends. While he settled in himself as well, he left Daichi in charge of the castle itself, clearing out Satori’s things and searching for a great deal of money still unaccounted for that had been taken from the people. When questioned, Daishou easily gave up any portion he had kept, but did not know where the Prince kept his. The Prince naturally refused to speak to anyone. No soldiers or guards seemed to know where he kept it, so Daichi enlisted the help of Kuroo and his men to assist him in locating it. They tore his suite apart and did not find a single coin. The vault was scoured, and the only money present was the appropriate amount it should be, nothing more. Even the throne room was checked from top to bottom with no avail.

Kuroo sunk into a dark mood as he walked by Daichi’s side after several days of searching. Daichi was preoccupied with some letters from a few lords and paid little attention to the state of his companion or to where he was going as he led them straight into a large corridor that was hardly ever used. On the one side were spacious windows arched high and bathing the room in sunlight. Opposite the windows were giant portraits of all the kings of the past, including one of Wakatoshi done shortly after attaining the throne.

Kuroo forgot his ill mood for a moment as he let out a low whistle, grabbing Daichi’s attention.

“I’m not even sure I’ve ever been in this part of the castle.”

Daichi looked around to see where he had accidentally led them. He lowered the letters and turned toward the painting they stood in front of with an amused smile on his face. “That’s my grandfather, the old King.”

“Hmm, I remember him vaguely from the grand parades, though at that time I was taking the opportunity to slip coins from pockets and didn’t pay much attention. He was a stern fellow, wasn’t he?”

Daichi snorted, “Yes. A better King than a grandfather, he was terrifying to me as a boy. I still respected him though, and he had moments of kindness, especially after my parent’s death… He really loved my mother, so he made sure I wanted for nothing after she was gone.”

Kuroo smiled, “I’m relieved he kept you here. If he hadn’t, we may have never met!”

Daichi laughed, “Or I would have tried to kill you one day like the Royal Guard. You were a thief after all.” He looked up at his offended lover and gave him a wink.

“Hmm, or I may have gotten you first, _My Lord_ ,” He purred as he slid his hands behind Daichi and nuzzled into his hair. Daichi squirmed and looked around, but with that corridor hardly ever being in use. He was about to indulge and snuggle into Kuroo’s arms when he glanced at the portrait on the end of his Uncle Wakatoshi.

“Hey, isn’t it strange?”

“Hmm? What is?”

“The Prince put his mark on every part of this castle, from the drapes, the rooms, even the food he changed. It was like he was trying to erase my Uncle from the premises. But if that was so, and he was wanting to keep the throne for himself, why would he leave the portraits?”

“Maybe he just didn’t bother? No one comes through here typically, right?”

“Yes, but The Prince was always quite thorough, almost a perfectionist. I caught him once after grandfather’s death staring at this portrait, just glaring at it like he wanted to destroy it. Why didn’t he?”

“Maybe he had a reason to keep it?”

“What reason? A reminder?”

“You think he’d want to move forward if he hated his past.”

“Perhaps…”

They stared at the portrait, completely consumed with curiosity when Kuroo’s eyes widened, his whole body stiffening as he gasped. He rushed to the portrait and placed his face flat against the wall, his eyes squinting as he moved lower. His hands ran along the side of the frame when suddenly he paused, his eyebrows raising up high. A click sparked the air and with a wide grin he swung the portrait out wide, unveiling a shallow space filled with organized containers of shining gold coins.

“Tetsu, you found it!”

Kuroo snorted, “You think I would have found it if you hadn’t said anything?”

Daichi frowned as he let his fingers graze over the containers. “This is still not enough, there should be more.” He straightened up and shared a look with Kuroo. At the same moment they both looked to the left at Wakatoshi’s portrait. Daichi ran over and mimicked Kuroo’s earlier actions, and with another click he swung that portrait out as well, unveiling another hidden space filled with coins.

Kuroo rounded up his men to gather up every little coin and deliver it to Daishou’s old office, where Lord Moniwa had invaded to sort through the finances himself. His eyes grew wide as the piles of gold coins rose around him.

“This is perfect! I think we’ll finally have enough to get everything back on track!” He grabbed a scroll and gave it a flick, letting the paper unravel off the desk and onto the floor. With a lick of his lips he began to go down his list as the Cats assisted him in setting aside the appropriate amount and casing it for delivery to each assigned village.

 

Deep in the dungeon of the castle, where the scent of mildew and decay pervaded the air and a chill seeped into the bones of the living, sat Daishou and Satori in separate cells facing each other. They had been stripped of their finery and dressed instead in some tattered pants and simple tunic. It was not enough to shut out the cold, and they both remained silent as they shivered in their own arms.

“Do you remember?” Daishou spoke after a couple days of silence, his eyes faded from their usual vitality.  “Do you remember when we first began our plan? We thought we were so smart.” Suddenly be started laughing, laying his head back against the weeping stone wall. “God…we were so stupid.”

“Is that what you think, Daishou? I admit, there were some things we could have handled better. It may have turned out differently.”

Daishou lifted his head to stare at the bedraggled Prince, his face still frozen with the mask of superiority, despite his situation. “If you could go back, what would you do differently?”

“That’s easy. I would have murdered my nephew much earlier, just after Wakatoshi left him in my care.”

Daishou felt sick hearing Satori say those words. He was far from perfect himself, but killing was something he could never stomach. The Prince allowed him little time to process his words before he continued.

“I wouldn’t have ended my relationship with Semi, either.”

Shock rippled through Daishou. Satori always had a chip on his shoulder with the idea of love, and never seemed to regret letting Semi go before.

“You regret breaking it off? I thought you didn’t love him anymore.”

“I didn’t…I don’t. But if I hid the fact and we remained lovers, I could have manipulated him and the Royal Guard much further. You’ve shown me yourself, Daishou, how one can do stupid things for love.”

“Wow…you really are a cold-hearted bastard, aren’t you?” Semi’s voice rang out in the dimly lit room.

Satori froze, feeling the temperature drop even further at the sound of his previous lover’s voice. His eyes twitched over to the stairwell, where he saw Semi Eita leaning against the archway. He was fully alive, his eyebrows furrowed low as he gave him a look oozing with frigidity.

“Semi,” Satori croaked as his eyes traveled down the length of him. “You’re alive?”

“Yes, though I nearly did die, thanks to you. I was rescued by Kuroo’s own men, in a strange twist of fate.”

“Well, what would you like me to say? I’m sorry?”

“I think it’s time for the lies to end, Satori. We both know you’re not sorry.”

“Then what brings you down here to this place? Did you want to have a lover’s quarrel about how I should have behaved?”

“No, I will save that for my current lover.”

The statement was enough to shock Satori into silence. Daishou meanwhile, snickered with delight in his own cell.

“You have a new lover, Sir Semi? Good for you! I hope he’s handsome and treats you well.”

Semi glanced at Daishou, his eyebrow raised as he observed the lord’s mirth. “Yes, he is both very handsome and very kind. A considerable step up, I’d say. To answer your previous question, Satori, I came to inform you both that tomorrow morning will be Daishou’s trial. The day after will be yours. Good day, gentlemen.”

Without another word, Semi turned and swept up the stairs, leaving them to their own dark thoughts as they felt the heaviness of their fate hang over them.

 

A great solemnity drifted throughout Shiratorizawa City like a creeping morning mist. It was the morning of Daishou Suguru’s trial, and a great many people arrived to both observe the spectacle as well as testify for or against the incarcerated lord. Daishou was escorted by two Shiratorizawa guards, dressed in his plain clothes and slippers on his feet so he did not walk into the throne room barefoot. He forced his breath in and out in waves, trying not to be intimidated by the hundreds of eyes that focused on him. Whispers floated up into the air as he passed every one of them, shuffling under the weight of his chains. He lifted his eyes as he approached the front of the room, where the King sat in all his glory on his throne. _He truly belongs there_ , Daishou thought, a strange feeling of peace coming over him, despite his dire circumstances.

“Lord Daishou,” The King spoke in his deep, commanding tones. “You are accused of many things here today, the most grievous being treason and murder.” Gasps and chatter erupted in the room. Semi Eita stepped forward from his position by the throne gripping his walking stick in his hand and slammed it onto the floor several times. The sharp clack rang out through the room, quieting the crowd in an instant. He returned to his spot with a nod to the King, who continued. “We will hear from several witnesses to either accuse you or defend you. We will allow you to speak, and then I will decide your fate.”

Daishou shivered but nodded. He wanted this over as soon as possible, but knew it would not be a quick ordeal.

His very first accusers stepped forward. It shocked Daishou to see Bokuto Koutarou, the tavern owner, and his entire crew surrounding him. He did not remember ever hurting them, but the somber looks on their faces said otherwise.

“I am Bokuto Koutarou. Behind me are my friends, and all of us are from the village of Fukurodani.” Daishou’s jaw dropped open, mimicking the feeling of his stomach. “We the only survivors of the village, and we can attest that it was not Aoba Johsai raiders that attacked our village. It was assassins from Nohebi. It took us a long time to discover the truth, and we have evidence it was Lord Daishou’s men that murdered our families and burned our village to the ground. Even after that, there were other survivors that spoke out, but they were immediately silenced. It was not the Prince was trapped within the City by Master Daichi and all the other knights that we felt safe enough to reveal the information without losing each other as well, being the only family we have left.” Bokuto did not look at Daishou, but simply nodded to the King as he stepped back with the rest of his friends.

His next accusers stepped forward one by one. Lords and ladies, farmers and peasants, victims throughout the Kingdom that suffered by the hands of his knights or his own edicts. Every sharp word felt like another nail in his own coffin. Daishou had already suffered a great deal under his own guilt. It was quite devastating to feel the hurt he’d inflicted over so many people.

Master Daichi finally stepped forward himself. He spoke calmly and honestly, recounting the failed assassination attempt by one of Daishou’s men, also supporting the claim of the Fukurodani Clan. He reiterated that it was Daishou who handled all financial matters regarding the Kingdom, and many of the issues with hoarding taxes was his responsibility. At last he did admit that despite everything, he imagined many things were simply the order of the Prince himself, and that should be taken into account. Daichi paused at this point and gazed at Daishou, a flicker of softness issuing from his soft brown eyes.

“There is one more point, Your Majesty, I’d like to make, if you do not mind.”

“Continue, Daichi.”

“It was thanks to Lord Daishou that we were able to enter the City with minimal bloodshed. He also risked his own life to distract the Prince and was nearly killed in the process. It was not a trap, as we considered it might be, and he followed through on his word. I know in the scheme of things it does not count for much, but sometimes a man is more than his many mistakes.”

A gentle smile passed between the King and his nephew, and with a nod Daichi stepped back. The King cocked his head down at Daishou.

“We have heard from many accusers today, and not many to support you, Lord Daishou. What do you have to say for yourself?”

Daishou’s mouth felt as dry as a desert, licking his lips as he tried find his voice. “Your Majesty… there is hardly anything to refute here. To almost all of it I admit I am guilty.” A roar of voices erupted, and once again Semi had to slam his stick into the ground to quiet the crowd. Daishou took a shuddering breath and turned to face Bokuto and his crew. He forced his gaze up as scalding hot tears pricked his eyes.

“The men who invaded Fukurodani were my own assassins. I did send them out myself. It was part of my plan with the Prince to spark a war between our Kingdom and Aoba Johsai, so the King would have to leave and allow the Prince to take the throne in his place. It was the one part of Satori’s plan I originally refused to do, wanting no part of murder. The Prince, as many of you know, is incredibly persuasive and gave me little choice. It was the Prince’s order, but I admit that does not make me less guilty. I…I’m so sorry,” he sobbed as he could not look at them any longer. He turned back to the King, wiping his eyes against his shoulder. “The rest of it, was true. I paid little attention to how my knights behaved outside the City if they accomplished their tasks. I do not know what else to say, Your Majesty. I am weary from the lies and the blood on my hands. I will accept whatever punishment you see fit.”

The King listened intently as he spoke. When he had finished, he looked past Daishou into the crowd and gave a little nod. “Lord Daishou, there is one more witness that would like to say something.”

Daishou lifted his head in surprise and turned. Mika stood apart from the crowd, her lovely dark eyes swollen and red. Her mouth was set in a tight line as she lifted her face to him, an expression of complete disgust. Everything he had endured to that moment seemed like a pleasant tea party on a Sunday afternoon compared to the horror of seeing the woman he loved stare at him like that.

“How could you, Suguru? You were a revered lord, wealthy and respected and… loved. What more could you have wanted? Was I not enough?”

“Mika,” Daishou whispered, trying to move closer, but prevented by the guards on either side of him.

“I am so furious with you,” She sobbed. “Do you know how long it took them to convince me of your guilt? I couldn’t believe it! I feel like such a fool.” She wiped her face on her flowered handkerchief. “But, the one thing everyone seemed clear on was that you really love me. Is it true, Suguru? Tell me the truth, I deserve that much.”

“I do, Mika…you deserve the truth, and you certainly deserve better than me as a fiancé. The truth is I do love you, more than anything or any person. I am so sorry I put you through this,” His voice drifted so low it could hardly be heard. He shut his eyes to everyone in the throne room, praying that it would be over soon. Would it be a hangman’s noose? Or a gruesome beheading? He did not know, but he hoped it would be quick.

“Lord Daishou, I have decided your punishment as befitting the situation. You will of course be stripped of all titles and property. That will be divided up to further heal the Kingdom from your tyranny and greed. Considering most of your crimes being under the Prince’s orders, you will not be killed. You will, however, be banished from this Kingdom from this day forth.”

Daishou closed his eyes and released a slow breath as he processed his sentence. He was overwhelmed with relief that he was not to be killed, but banishment. Leave behind his knights who were the most loyal friends he had. Leave behind every home he had ever known, never to return. Mika… His eyes flew open as he searched around him for one last look at his fiancée, but she was gone. There was no breath left in his lungs as he continued to look for her, but it was no use. The King continued saying that he would be given appropriate clothing and provisions, as well as a guarded escort to the border of the Kingdom to a neighboring nation of his choice. Before he could consider his words, Daishou was swept out of the courtroom amid the looks of scorn and the whispers cutting through the air like the hiss of a hundred snakes.

 

After the event of Daishou’s trial, it took a while for all the spectators and accusers to file out and go home for the rest of the day. Semi was not completely back to duty yet, but the King didn’t bother scolding him for keeping everything in line. The Royal Guard and the entire breadth of the Shiratorizawa army respected Semi to a high degree, and he was able to retain order better than anyone else. Until everything settled down, Semi clenched his jaw through the pain and kept his posture straight as he kept everything running smoothly.

When the castle had finally emptied, and the soldiers returned to their duty, however, Semi took the chance to slip away to an empty corridor and lean against the wall. He squeezed his eyes shut as he gripped onto his side, bandaged so tightly he felt like the wrap was the only thing keeping his body from falling apart. Once he had control of the pain, he opened his eyes and glanced further down the hallway. It was a rather plain corridor, coming just off the grand lobby of the castle and used typically by servants. It did have a few scattered windows, and in front of one stood Bokuto, his strong back to Semi as he stared out into the afternoon light. He couldn’t see his face, but he could see the tension gripping through his muscles.

Semi had watched him during the trial as he told his story to the courtroom. It broke his heart every time he heard it. All the years he had known the spiky haired tavern owner, he never suspected his life had been filled with tragedy the way he spread joy and mirth to every soul he met. He had always held a great amount of respect for him, but it increased greatly when he discovered the truth.

Overwhelmed with worry, Semi lifted himself from the wall and walked toward Bokuto. The other man didn’t hear him approach, so he spoke his name softly as he reached his hand out to rub his back. The tension immediately eased under his touch, and with a sigh Bokuto turned to face him.

“Hey, Semi.” His eyes looked at him, but at the same time seemed to be gazing far away into the deep recesses of his memories. Semi reached his hand up to cup the side of his face, letting his thumb graze his cheek softly. The fog began to dissipate as the warm intensity of his eyes ignited, focusing Bokuto on what was right in front of him. His face softened as a smile grew on his lips, and together they stepped forward, wrapping their arms each other as if they had been doing it all their lives. Semi didn’t hesitate to lift onto his toes and capture Bokuto’s magnetic grin for himself.

They both gave a contented sigh, giving into the heat of their lips caressing each other. Bokuto tightened his arms and instantly relieved some of the pressure built up in Semi’s back.

“How do you always know when I’m in pain,” Semi murmured with a smile in between kisses.

Bokuto chuckled softly, “How did you know I was too? It’s obvious, isn’t it? If you love someone.”

Semi never grew tired of hearing Bokuto’s feelings out loud, no matter how shamelessly he could spout it sometimes. To him, Semi wasn’t a passing folly, or a dirty secret. He was a prized possession made to be doused in Bokuto’s love, and he wanted to selfishly revel in it.

Semi nuzzled into the crook of Bokuto’s neck as he let his arms fall limply across his broad shoulders. “Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?”

Bokuto gave a heavy sigh, the lift of his chest causing Semi to rise and fall himself. “No, not right now. I’d like to tell you more about home one day, we had wonderful lives there. But for now, I just want some peace.”

Semi squeezed his eyes shut as he hugged Bokuto tighter. “Okay. Please let me know if you need anything. I’m here.”

Bokuto hummed appreciatively as he rubbed Semi’s back, nestling his face into his ash blonde hair. “You too. I want you to tell me if the pain is too much.”

“I will. It was very bad during the trial, since I was pretending it didn’t hurt.” His eyes flew open, and a smirk played on his lips. “You know...I could really use a hot bath.”

“Oh really?” Bokuto replied slyly. “I have a really nice one back at the tavern you know. It’s so big I bet it could fit two people.”

Semi lifted his head and bit his lip. “Hmm, it sounds like we may have to test that theory. I’m off duty now, you want to help me hobble down there?”

Bokuto cocked an eyebrow as his grin turned wicked. “I would sweep you up in my arms and carry you down there like a Princess if you’d let me.”

Semi laughed and shook his head. He stepped away and turned to walk back down the hallway, his hand slinking down Bokuto’s shoulder and arm until it fell upon his hand. He gripped it and pulled him along. “No more picking me up in public, you promised.”

“What about once we get to the tavern?”

“...Maybe. We’ll see how many people are there.”

“Deal!” Bokuto responded cheerfully as he wrapped his arm around Semi’s side, forcing him to lean against him so he could bear some of the weight.

 

Despondently, Daishou gathered the few possessions he had left into a bag and shrugged it onto his shoulder. He needed to be thinking about where he would go, but his mind had drifted into a catatonic state, numb from the heaviness of his predicament. The only thing he knew for certain was he would be on his own. He used to pride himself on his intellect and ability to persuade people to his side. Now all of that had crumbled into a pile of dust, and he had nothing. He had no one.

“Are you ready, Daishou?” The Shiratorizawa soldier beside him asked, not impolitely, but the lack of the title stung Daishou’s pride, which surprised him that he’d have any left.

“I... I don’t know where to go. Just pick a place for me, as long as it isn’t Aoba Johsai,” He muttered as he rubbed his tired face in his hands.

“You don’t even care where you go, Suguru?” A soft and melodic voice from the doorway drifted over to him. He gasped and dropped his hands as he whirled around. Mika stood there, not wearing the dress she had on in the throne room, but something simpler and made for travel. He stared at her in disbelief, his throat a parched cavern where no words could be found.

She sighed when he said nothing, and stepped forward into the room. Her arms were crossed in front of her, a slight barrier that felt like the giant wall around Dateko. “You know I have family in the Royal Family of Shinzen? Distant, but the tie is there nonetheless, and they’ve always respected it. I had written several days ago about our situation, and they have agreed to give you sanctuary and a position as a financial advisor. You will be strictly guarded and supervised of course, but they acknowledge your talents and would like to put you to use.”

Daishou’s eyes widened as Mika explained the situation, but he barely heard anything after she spoke a few simple words that altered his entire universe.

“Mika? You said...you said _our_. Our situation?”

She pursed her lips and looked away, a light blush tickling up her cheeks. “Make no mistake, Suguru, I haven’t forgiven you yet. You’ve done horrible things, even if you were manipulated by the Prince, you should have known better. And I’m your fiancée, and you said nothing to me as if I had no part in it. Nevertheless…” Her eyes slid back to him and she stuck her chin out. Her feet slid toward him as her crossed arms released, reaching out so her delicate hands grasped onto his limp arms. Her touch filled him with the most soothing warmth he had ever experienced, as if he was dipped into a bath filled with warm fragrant water that healed every imperfection in his weary body. A sob rose in his chest, and he squeezed his eyes shut at the physical contact he never thought he would have again. Hot tears began to escape through the corners of his eyelids, and her hand released his arm to caress them away.

She began again, her voice tender, “I chose you a long time ago, Suguru. We’ll get through this, as long as from now on you will be the honorable man I _thought_ you were.”

His breath shuddered as he nuzzled his face into her palm. He inhaled deeply as he contained his emotions, and nodded. “I will, Mika,” His voice croaked. “I’ll do whatever you ask. It’s more than I ever dreamed.”

“Suguru,” She whispered as he felt soft lips press against his cheek, his nose, gliding across his eyelids like a gentle puff of air. She kissed away the rest of his tears and settled onto his lips. When she released them, she pulled back, her fingers tucking under his chin and lifting it up. He fluttered his eyes open, seeing her face no longer disgusted. It was tender, but still drenched with a solemnity that will probably linger for a long time.

“Come on, Suguru. Let’s go home.”

 

The sun had begun to dip into the forest trees, casting the city into a warm glow. It was the end of the first day of trials, and the next would be the highly anticipated trial of Prince Satori. The cavernous throne room was as silent as a held breath, empty of all people save one lone soul. The King stood in front of the windows overlooking the grand forest. In spring it blossomed with delicate shades of pinks, reds and purples with a fragrance that saturated the air with the fresh vitality of new beginnings. In the summer it thrived with shades of green that welcomed soothing rainfalls under the overbearing heat of the sun. Autumn brought with it regal shades of crimson, oranges and golds, adding to the magnificence of its vast fields of timber. King Wakatoshi loved the forest, and it was with a twinge of disappointment he would arrive at this moment, when the branches are bare and creaking in the harsh cool winds of winter. And yet soon the snows would come, and though it will be cold, it will add a blanket of purity over everything, scraping away any imperfections the forest may have attained.

The King sighed, a heavy weight pushing down onto his entire body as he contemplated his next course of action. Satori was his brother. He was a Prince of Shiratorizawa, and yet that made it all the worse. He expected more out of him, with his impeccable upbringing and exquisite education, Satori should have been a perfect candidate to hold the throne and maintain order in his absence. He knew his brother was completely different from himself, but he never thought that was a bad thing. He had always admired his ability to see things under the surface, especially regarding people. Perhaps that was his own issue; he could not see what was under Satori’s surface. He would never have imagined he would have created such havoc and horror in his own Kingdom, and as such Wakatoshi felt the heaviness of guilt on himself as well. It was his fault for not seeing the truth, in so many ways.

He tilted his chin up as he shoved the negative thoughts away. He could not dwell on the past, only learn from it. The entire Kingdom was relying on him to be a good king and put everything back together, and that is precisely what he intended to do. He needed to be strong, and when Satori’s trial arrives he will judge him as a king, and not as a brother.

Something caught his eye far below the window, and he leaned toward it to get a better look. There wasn’t much around that side of the castle, simply a gate that led to the forest, but walking along the wall he spotted walking with Kuroo. He did not have much opportunity to observe the two when they were not consumed in their duties, and he was curious how they truly were with each other. He watched as Daichi walked forward, his face looking straight ahead and set in grave seriousness. Wakatoshi was proud of his nephew for his resilience and steadfast heart, but it pained him to see the weight of responsibilities weighing heavily on him.

Kuroo trailed behind like a lanky shadow, his face turning slowly as he gazed up at the castle, the wall, the branches of the grand trees hovering above the wall. He turned his face back to Daichi, down his back, then lower and lower until he was blatantly staring at Daichi’s ass. A wicked smirk curled on his lips, and for a few steps they remained like that, Kuroo eyeballing Daichi’s while the victim remained unaware. And yet Wakatoshi was surprised when Daichi suddenly stopped, his eyes narrowing as he turned slowly to face his lover. He spoke a few words, and Kuroo seemed to flinch and look sheepish, scratching the back of his messy hair. Daichi’s face softened into a grin, and soon both were laughing as Daichi gave the taller man a gentle punch in the chest. Kuroo grabbed onto his hand and yanked him in, wrapping his arm around him so he couldn’t escape, though the look on Daichi’s face said that escape wasn’t something he had on his mind. Like a well-rehearsed dance their arms slid around each other, their faces turning slightly as they kissed. It was gentle at first, but almost like a gentle rain that escalates into a fearsome thunderstorm, the passion grew as Kuroo shoved Daichi up against the wall.

Wakatoshi frowned, worried that his nephew was being manhandled. He nearly felt like running down there and pulling the vagrant off when he heard someone clear their throat behind him. He straightened and turned to see Sugawara standing there, his smile warm but his disposition cautious.

“Forgive me, Your Majesty, I hope I’m not intruding on your privacy.”

“No, Sugawara, I always welcome your presence.”

“ _Always_ , Your Majesty?” The grey-haired beauty teased lightly as he came closer, but then shook his head. “Forgive me, at times I am unsure of how to approach you, I do not have much experience with royalty.”

Wakatoshi smiled, “Don’t trouble yourself. You’re close with Daichi, though, are you not?”

Sugawara laughed, “Yes, we are close, but it’s hard to imagine him as royalty. I’ve had to teach him most of his social etiquette myself, and I only learned it through my education in Karasuno.”

Wakatoshi nodded and then paused in thought. He glanced back out the window to see the amorous couple below had returned to their walk, though with flushed faces and slightly disheveled clothes. He squinted as he gazed at his nephew, but he could not detect any discomfort in his nephew’s demeanor.

“Your Majesty, is there something wrong?” Sugawara asked as he approached.

“No... well, I am not sure. Sugawara, I know that Kuroo is Daichi’s lover, but I do not know much about their relationship. I approved of their friendship when they were children because I felt like it taught Daichi to always be aware of the common people, and he hardly had any close friends at the time. But now...what is their relationship like? Daichi isn’t being taken advantage of, is he?”

Sugawara let out a light laugh, and the sound lifted Wakatoshi’s spirits like a lively tune. “You don’t have to worry about that, Your Majesty, they’re equally smitten with each other, I can assure you. They both have proven on many occasions that they would die for the other if it came to it, and being parted from one another is about the worst thing they experience. Besides the serious devotion they have to each other, their personalities also well suited for each other. Daichi has the tendency to get lost in his responsibilities. Kuroo, however, can lure him out of that state with ease, and it’s obvious how much happiness he brings him. Kuroo I had never met until after they were together, so I’m not sure about him, but I can tell he thinks Daichi’s the most amazing person in the world, so I approve. Did that answer your question, Your Majesty, I’m sorry if I rambled.”

“No, no... I think that answered it and more. Thank you, not just for that but for all your help ever since my return. We’ve only just met but I have already relied on you so much. I hope I am not a burden on you.”

Suga’s brown eyes widened, his pink lips parting in a light gasp. “Your Majesty, you could never be a burden on me! Honestly, I hope you can continue relying on me in the future,” He said more softly, turning his face away so his chin tucked bashfully into his shoulder.

The King felt his heart flutter. There was such a gentleness about Suga that soothed him, and yet a fiery grit that would come out in flashes of excitement or anger. The juxtaposition of the two filled Wakatoshi with a hungry suspense.

“Well,” The King answered him, “I heard from Sir Ukai that he’ll be pulling his knights back to Karasuno very soon. I would prefer you to stay here, but I’ll understand if you intend to go with them. If you stay, I am certain I would come to rely on you even more.”

Suga beamed at him, his cheeks round and bright as his smile stretched across his face. “You do not need to worry, Your Majesty. I know that Daichi will be remaining here, and technically I’m _his_ man-in-waiting, so I will remain here as well... indefinitely.”

“Oh...that is good news indeed,” The King said simply, his stern face not betraying the outrageous celebration occurring inside of his body except for the slightest tint of pink across his cheeks, thought it was hardly visible in the dimly lit room. Suga, however, could perceive the happiness the information had given the King, and he thought his own heart might burst because of it. They continued to stand quietly beside each other, a warmth surrounding their presence as if they had been wrapped up in a comforter of down. Wakatoshi opened his mouth to say something, but he lost himself when he saw how brightly Suga’s brown eyes sparkled in the light of the sinking sun pouring through the windows and how it caused a sheen across his hair, giving him a soft glow.

“Ahem, Your Majesty?”

They turned to see Ohira standing there, biting his lip as he would not look straight at them.

“Yes, what is it?” The King asked in his usual tone, without a hint of embarrassment. It seemed to bother Ohira even more, but he cleared his throat once again and retained his composure.

“Lord Moniwa had some matters to discuss with you, but did not want to disturb you, Your Majesty.”

“Ah, is he in the Office of Finance? Good, tell him I will join him there shortly.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I am sorry for disturbing you.” He gave a bow and rushed back out of the room.

The King furrowed his brows slightly, then looked back at Sugawara, whose angelic smile had changed into a grin of amusement as he tried to hold back giggles.

“I wonder why he thought he was disturbing me.”

Suga reached his hand out and grasped the King’s arm. “I wouldn’t worry about it Your Majesty. Besides, I have occupied enough of your time, you wouldn’t want to keep Lord Moniwa waiting, since it’s getting late.”

“Yes, you’re right,” The King said as his eyes slid down to the hand currently on his arm. Not many ever dared to touch him without permission, since he was the King. It surprised him that Suga would do it so naturally, and he smiled as he looked back up at the younger man. Without breaking eye contact, he lifted Suga’s hand from his arm and kissed the back of it gently. “Until tomorrow, Sugawara.”

It was quick, but he saw the pupils of Suga’s eyes grow large and dark, and a flush rise on his pale cheeks. “Yes, I hope you have a good rest, Your Majesty,” He said softly.

He let the slender hand slip out of his own as he gave one last nod and swept out of the room. As soon as he was apart from Suga, his mood dropped considerably as he remembered all the dark thoughts plaguing him from before, most notably his brother. He sighed heavily, hoping that whatever happened tomorrow, the gods would approve, and the people would feel a sense of justice.

 

The trial for the Prince began early the next morning. It was not like Daishou’s in that there were many accusers and a few standing up for him for his few good deeds. The throne room was overflowing with citizens, some who had traveled from the furthest reaches of the Kingdom, just to relay how the Prince had harmed their families and villages through his selfish actions. Even an envoy from King Oikawa himself had arrived with a scathing (and a little overly dramatic) letter regaling the effects from the harsh war that had impacted their own Kingdom. He went as far as to demand that the Prince be put to death, and if King Ushiwaka (there was a collective gasp from the rude nickname of their own King, but the man himself only grimaced and allowed the messenger to continue) did not have the stomach for it, he’ll gladly do the deed.

The Prince stood in an ocean of accusers, his body remaining as still as a statue without even a flicker of emotion on his face. Despite his frigid demeanor, his frame looked almost frail in his plain prison clothes, his face slightly gaunt from stress and malnutrition. One old woman was furious as she spoke of how her entire family that resided in Fukurodani was killed in cold blood, and she rushed past the guards to spit on his face. He blinked at her as the guards wrangled her back, and only then did he quietly wipe his face on his sleeve and return his gaze forward. He kept his eyes on the golden throne where he had sat not too long ago, where he belonged. He refused to look upon the King himself, unsure of what he would feel, and refusing to give any possibility a chance. He would not break just by looking at his own foolish brother.

There were so many citizens who demanded to accuse him that they had to take a couple sessions as a break. The sun had just begun to set as the final accuser stated their story. The entire throne room hushed in a silence so intense, many of them began to tremble in anticipation. The King regarded his younger brother for a minute, his sharp eyes boring into him and receiving no recognition back.

“Satori,” He spoke out, his deep, commanding tone reverberating throughout the room. “What have you to say?”

A low roar of whispers rose, and Semi again had to step forward and slam his walking stick into the ground. For a flicker of a moment, Satori’s eyes locked with his, but then flitted back to its spot on the throne, while Semi simply frowned and stepped back into his place. He had maintained his composure thus far in the trial, but inside he felt like vomiting. There were no doubts that Satori’s accusers were telling the truth, some of them shouting in anger, and others hardly being able to speak through the tears. The man down below in his rags was not the man he knew all those years ago. In fact, he was unsure if he was ever the person he believed him to be.

The Prince after a few moments of silence licked his lips and spoke out, “What would you like me to say, dear _brother_? Is it weeping tears of regret that you would like to see? Falling on my knees and begging you and the people forgiveness?” He laughed mirthlessly and at last met the King’s gaze. “I will ask for no forgiveness. You will never see me beg. That is all I can say, so Wakatoshi, I ask you to do what you think best. I hate your guts, but I at least trust you to do that much.”

There was a much sharper gasp this time and quite a bit of yelling at the audacity he had shown the King. Wakatoshi kept his face calm and his eyes locked on Satori’s, though there was a slight clench in his jaw.

“I never hated _you_ , Satori. You were my younger brother, and in our youth you made me proud on many occasions with your abilities and quickness of mind. But that time has passed, and in this moment I cannot judge you as a brother who cares. I am King Wakatoshi of Shiratorizawa, and there must be justice for the Kingdom. Death almost feels too quick for the murderous deeds you have committed, as well as treason against the crown. However, I cannot take the chance that you would use your forked tongue for further manipulation should I allow you to live. Prince Satori, you are sentenced to death by hanging. It will take place at dawn, and I grant you your final hours to beg forgiveness to the gods. This is my command.”

The Prince did not react to the sentence, only blinking at his elder brother sentencing him to die. Satori had to admit he didn’t think Wakatoshi had it in him, and yet he did, and he only had a several hours left to live. He was so shocked he hardly realized he was being jostled back to the dungeon amid cheers of triumph and brazen insults being hurled at his back.

As he sat on the cold floor with his back against the weeping stone, he retracted deep inside himself, refusing to even acknowledge his impending demise. It was in the pale hours of the morning when a voice reached into him, sounding far away and yet comfortingly close.

“Satori,” Semi’s voice called gently, and he glanced up to see the man leaning on the bars in front of him. They stared at each other for a minute of heavy silence, until at last Semi broke eye contact and sighed. “It’s so hard, hearing all the things you did behind my back when I was such a fool. No, not behind my back, right in front of me. I honestly don’t even know who you are. I know it’s all in the past, but did you ever really love me?” The way he asked was in a tone of curiosity, a search for truth. It was not in the dramatic tones of a lover scorned, and Satori nearly smiled at the ever-pragmatic dignity of Semi Eita.

“I did, Semi. There’s no reason to lie or hide it now. I loved you, but you never really loved me, so I had to let you go before it destroyed me.”

The statement surprised Semi and he straightened and faced him directly. “What do you mean? Of course I loved you. I did for a long time, even after you broke it off.”

Satori shook his head, his red spikes drooping from lack of care and dirt. “Your love for Wakatoshi was too great, and I couldn’t compete.”

“I have always loved the King as a person should love their King, as well as a dedicated mentor. But I was never in love with him, Satori.”

“True, I know you didn’t love him like that, but even your devoted admiration of him felt like a knife in my back. I could not handle it.”

“Interesting,” Semi mused as he tapped his finger against his lips. “So, you ending our relationship was actually more about the King. No wonder you never took another lover. You thought there was no one in the Kingdom who would be more loyal to you than the King.”

“Yes, I preferred the stability of being by myself, rather than investing in a tumultuous relationship. Though I thought you were the same as me, and here you are falling in love with another! Tell me, Semi, who is he?”

Semi stared at him a moment, and then shook his head. “No, Satori, I do not wish to share any of his information with you, even if you are so close to your death. I will not allow your words to poison a new relationship that I am enjoying so much. Is there anything else you want to talk about? It’s your last chance to have a conversation with a human being, you know.”

Satori gazed up at him, confusion written across his face. “I treated you like dirt, and harmed thousands of people, perhaps more. Why would you even take the time to speak with me?”

“Well, Satori, it has less to do with you personally and more to do with my personal ethic. You may be a monster, but even monsters deserve a little peace. Would you like me to stay or leave?”

Satori scoffed and looked away, “By all means, go away. It’s not like you’re helping.”

Semi immediately turned and began to walk away when he heard a small voice behind him.

“Wait… I lied. You are helping, I’m just...scared.”

Semi turned to face him, his eyebrows shooting up at the sight of the Prince with a few tears escaping his eyes.

“Please stay with me, Semi. You don’t have to say anything, just… stay.”

Semi did as he asked, remaining in his company with silence hanging over them. Occasionally Semi would glance at the broken Prince, still almost disbelieving he had done so many evil things. He thought about Bokuto, and how despite his circumstances spread so much joy to others with his infallible positivity. He had lost his home and loving family, and all because of Satori and his selfish plans.

His mind also wandered to Wakatoshi. Before the war, he had been close with the King and often he spoke of how proud he was of his younger brother. He admired him for his intelligence and social awareness, something Wakatoshi often berated himself for lacking. Semi knew Satori always held a grudge against his elder brother, but to think it had gone as far as it did. Both brothers saw what they lacked could be found in the other, and yet how differently they reacted. Little threads of regret slipped into Semi’s skin, wondering if it would have changed anything if he had tried to influence Satori more and let him know how much Wakatoshi loved him . Just as the thoughts slipped in, they faded away. Semi knew better than that; Satori would never be convinced of something _he_ did not believe himself.

Dawn broke, and Semi and Satori were joined by the rest of the Royal Guard to escort him to his final destination. All the tears had long since dried, and with a sigh he lifted himself to his feet, dusted himself off and nonchalantly followed the men he once commanded with a snap of his fingers. They led him out of the castle and down the path to exit the castle gates. The entire road was lined with Shiratorizawa Soldiers, facing ahead with focus, their eyes not even following the procession as it passed by each of them. As they neared the village, he could see the immense crowd that had gathered to witness the event. There was no more shouting or spit hitting him across the face, only a hushed silence with barely a whisper floating on the wind.

Satori’s eyes flickered across the faces surrounding him for miles. With a mirthless smirk he leaned over to Ohira who was gripping his arm.

“My, my...I’ve never been so popular.”

There was no answer, just Ohira’s lips tightening as he turned his eyes forward to the end of the path. Satori’s eyes followed, and the smirk slipped away. The noose hung loosely in the air, swaying back and forth in the gentle breeze traveling above the heads of the spectators.

Semi had walked behind him the entire way, but it was finally time for them to part ways. Satori felt the warm hand on his shoulder, and he shut his eyes, knowing it would be the last warmth he would ever know.

“Goodbye Satori.”

“Goodbye...Eita.”

With one last grip, the fingers slid away. A chill trickled into his body, and despite the immense crowd surrounding him, Satori was alone.

Wakatoshi stood on a dais not too far away. His stature exuded his strength as his royal robes swept down the length of him, his golden crown nestled on his head as the inlaid feathers glinted in the morning light of the sun. His face was set, his jaw tightly clenched as he observed the proceedings with a serious solemnity.

Daichi stood next to him. He was not sure what result he was seeking when he had challenged his Uncle. He only saw the present moment at the time, and never thought what would happen should he succeed. He felt unprepared for this reality, and he glanced up at his Uncle, who must have been feeling the gravity of it as well. Suddenly Daichi felt like he was twelve years old again, gazing up at the magnificent King. He was a mountain, unmovable in his duty as he watched in silence. There was still so much he had to learn about leadership, it seemed, and he hoped that one day he could be half the man his uncle was.

The seconds seemed to tick by slowly, adding to the palpable tension felt by every person packed tightly in the town center. The rope slipped around Satori’s neck and tightened. He took one last look around and blinked when he spotted Kuroo and his men watching quietly. Beside the lanky thief was his smaller companion with his light auburn hair and large brown eyes. His brain like lightning sent him back in time when it was that very man who faced the same fate he was in. The difference was the reaction of his friends. There were two desperate attempts to free him, despite the odds against them and likelihood that they would all be killed if they failed. They loved him that much.

He turned his eyes back forward, landing on his brother, the great King Wakatoshi. Every muscle was strong and tense, but behind those dark eyes he saw the depths of sorrow. There would be no rescue for Satori.

The trapdoor beneath his feet dropped, and the rest of the world rose up, lifting to the sky.

 

Wakatoshi stood alone in his bedroom, gazing out the window at the bare forest below. It was midday, but the sun was veiled by layers of dull grey clouds. He could feel the chill slipping through the glass, reaching its slender fingers out to graze his skin.

He had ordered his guards not to let anyone in, not even Daichi. Satori was alone in his last moments of life, he did not deserve the comfort of companionship now. His chest felt tight as his mind drifted far away, fleeting visions appearing of a young Satori crying at the feet of their father. His hair was flatter back then, a bowl cut grazing the tops of his eyes, which were red from the hot flowing tears. He had tried climbing a tree in the garden and ended up taking a tumble to the unforgiving ground, skinning both of his knees. Wakatoshi, his mother and his elder sister stood behind the King, desperate to wrap their arms around the little redhead, but the King held his hand out. He let Satori cry it out, alone on the cold floor where he had been placed by the servants. With cool stoicism the King bent over, his dark eyes sharp as they bore into his son.

“Satori, that’s enough. You made a mistake, and as a result you were hurt. We do not cry over mistakes or little scrapes. We move forward with the precious lessons we have gained from the experience.” With that the King swept by him, leaving his sniffling child to fend for himself. It was only then that their mother knelt and swept a gentle hand across her child’s forehead, a sympathetic smile on her lips.

“There, there, Satori. You’re going to be okay.” Suffering from a bout of a few hiccups, Satori looked up at her with his eyes large and glistening. He reached out his small hands to be held, and she gladly accepted, wrapping her arms tightly around him. His little fingers gripped onto the back of her dress as he buried his face into her chest. She did not let go, rocking him back and forth as she sang in her melodic voice, until soon he was calm and dozing lightly.

Wakatoshi had watched the whole scene curiously. It was hard even back then for him to understand his younger brother. His father had taught him the same lesson, but he did not react the same way Satori had. He stopped his tears and stood up, knowing what he must do. Perhaps Satori did not need to be taught the same lessons. Or perhaps everything would have been different had he been taught them a different way.

A movement caught his eye, swiping away the cobwebs of his mind as he focused through the window. Snowflakes danced lazily from the sky, swirling as they drifted lower and settled onto the branches of the forest and the ground below. The ugly nakedness of the trees slowly transformed under the beauty of a pure blanket of white.

The flakes soon multiplied, blurring everything beyond the window. The individual flakes clung onto each other on their way down to the Earth. Even the delicate crystals had companions to rely on. He nodded his head, and in his mind thanked the gods for their ever-present guidance. His robes grazed the floor as he turned, lagging behind as he walked to the door. He opened it and immediately greeted his guards. After a few words he made his way down the hallway to join the beloved family and friends that he had left in the world.

 

It was not immediate, but with the death of the Prince, a soothing relief began lighten the hearts of the entire Kingdom. Despite the frost of winter rolling in, it felt like everything was healing, breathing in a gust of fresh air. The hundreds of people who had come to accuse the Prince had all gone back to their homes, anxious to move on with their lives and appreciate their families. The health of the citizens of Shiratorizawa City had greatly improved, and worked tirelessly on mending homes and reestablishing trade and commerce. Bokuto’s tavern has transitioned back to its original purpose, serving drinks and good food to warm every customer that made their way through the hand carved door. Semi came in nearly every night, propped on a stool with a mug in his hand as he chuckled at the antics of the man he could hardly believe he was in love with. Most of the knights had vacated the city to return to their own villages or on whatever duty the King had given them. Lord Moniwa was given the position as the new head of Finances for the Kingdom. He was shocked at the important role, but humbly accepted and left Kamasaki in charge of Dateko in his absence.

The only troop left was Karasuno, postponing their return to spend as much time as they could with their senpais who would be staying in the City. Asahi was given special permission to leave Daichi’s side and return with the rest of the knights. Asahi’s mind was frantic, thinking that his friend had grown tired of him, or perhaps his skills were not up to standard. Daichi laughed as he could easily tell what the nervous knight was thinking, and explained that he shouldn’t be parted from Nishinoya again. Lovers shouldn’t be separated from one another, he said, and Asahi felt overwhelmingly grateful. As a knight he knew his duty and was prepared for anything, but he was relieved he would remain by Nishinoya’s side.

Before the Karasuno Knights were to make the journey back home, Daichi was summoned to join the King in the throne room for an important matter. When he arrived, he saw the shadow of the King standing behind the throne at the great expanse of the window, looking out onto the snowy forest. He wandered toward him, and when he passed by the throne he saw that Kuroo was standing beside the King, smiling as they swapped stories about their time amongst the ancient trees.

“Your Majesty, you called for me?” Daichi asked, sharing a soft smile with Kuroo when their eyes locked on each other.

“Yes, come here, Daichi. I was receiving assurance from Kuroo that he would no longer be stealing from the Crown. Since he was taking care of my people, I have absolved him from any crimes he may have committed in the process. Now, however, that leaves him and his friends unemployed.”

Daichi snickered, never thinking Kuroo’s thievery as his career. “Yes, that does sound like a problem. Do you have a solution Your Majesty?”

“Yes, though I have yet to suggest it to him. I was waiting for you to hear it as well.” He turned to address Kuroo again. “I have seen how meticulously observant you and your men can be, and their incredible abilities of stealth and communication cannot be surpassed. I need more information on the status of my entire Kingdom. If I had better scouts, perhaps more of Fukurodani might have been saved. I would like to put you in charge of deploying men throughout the land, Kuroo, and reporting any dangers or problems that may arise. I will also place you in charge of recruiting and training new scouts, so your men are not stretched too thin. What do you say, would you do it?”

Kuroo had listened intently to the King’s entire proposition. He was almost stunned with the opportunity, and how well it suited his personality and skills. He smiled broadly and gave a bow to the King.

“Your Majesty, it would be an honor to fulfill this position. I thank you, it seems like a dream come true, to be honest.”

A slight smile played on the King’s lips and he gave him a nod. “Excellent. And you mentioned you had a request for me?”

Daichi’s heart had been racing with excitement as he observed the proceedings between his Uncle and his lover, but he was startled by the revelation that Kuroo would request something personally from the King. Most people would not have the audacity, but this was Kuroo.

The man in question had suddenly grown very nervous, biting his lip as he glanced to Daichi. Daichi in return gave him a confident smile, hoping to give him courage to say what he needed to say, regardless of having no clue what it was. The gesture worked, and Kuroo straightened up and took a deep breath.

“Your Majesty, I know you do not know me very well. I hope I have given you a good impression, though. You obviously trust me enough to give me this lucrative position, and I will do my utmost to make sure you won’t regret it. I never really wanted much, growing up on the street I didn’t need much, just food and shelter. But when I met Daichi, for the first time an intense desire grew in me, a completely selfish one. Your Majesty...I humbly ask that you allow me to marry Sawamura Daichi.” The last several words tumbled out of his mouth with reckless abandon, and they shocked both Daichi and the King into silence. Daichi’s racing heart was slamming against his chest, his hands trembling as the words sunk in. He glanced up at the King when he felt movement, and saw that the King was meeting his gaze.

“What do you think, Daichi? Marriage is quite an important thing, and not to be taken lightly. Are you prepared to give yourself to this man forever?”

His eyes flicked back to Kuroo, who looked positively terrified as he watched him, his eyebrows knitted tightly together. A smile began to spread on Daichi’s lips which eased the fear on Kuroo’s. Turning back to his Uncle he said, “Of course, Your Majesty. I don’t think I could bear to be parted from him ever again. I have no doubt it would bring me happiness.”

Kuroo’s shoulders slumped as he released a relieved sigh, but then caught himself when he realized the king had not given his answer. He did not need to wait long, because the King gave him a little nod.

“Very well, Kuroo. It is not traditional by any means, but I will grant you your request.” Kuroo began to vibrate with excitement, about to lunge at Daichi when the King stepped forward. He looked sternly right into Kuroo’s face, an aura of ultimate authority flooding over the ex-thief, causing him to shrink back slightly. “Of course, you better treat him well.”

Kuroo nodded vigorously, his spray of black hair flopping back and forth. “Yes! I would never treat him badly, Your Majesty. I love him.”

The King leaned back as he gave him a small smile. “Good. Discuss it between yourselves on how you would like to do it, and when. You’re my only family now, Daichi. I want this to be special for you.”

Daichi met his Uncle’s eyes, and felt his eyes grow hot as his chest grew tight. “Thank you, Uncle Wakatoshi.”

A light seemed to shine out of the King’s face, and with one last gentle pat against Daichi’s shoulder he walked away from the window to leave them alone. Immediately Daichi surged into Kuroo’s already opened arms, their lips meeting with warmth and excitement. His own arms wrapped around Kuroo’s neck, pulling him lower and relished in the heat spreading from their lips, the hands rubbing his back, the length of their bodies meshing together as if they were one person.

Daichi pulled back slightly, enough to give Kuroo a radiant smile that nearly made him buckle his knees. “I can’t believe you did that! You’re so crazy,” He laughed as he shook his head.

Kuroo gave him his signature smirk. “Why wouldn’t I do it? I’m not gonna let some other debonair lord or beautiful woman wander in and sweep you off your feet! I need to make you mine for good.”

Daichi snorted, “I’m already yours, you don’t need to worry about that.”

“Officially you’re not. Speaking of official, Daichi,” He spoke his name in almost a whisper as he pushed him back slightly. Daichi cocked his head as he watched Kuroo pat his body as he searched for something. His face brightened as his hand slid out of his pocket. He reached out and grabbed hold of Daichi’s left hand, and Daichi felt something slide onto his finger. When Kuroo removed his hand, he could see a ring carved out of a rich wood nestled perfectly on his finger. He gasped, marveling at the beauty of it.

“Tetsu,” He whispered, forcing himself to breathe as he made out a little carving on the top of it. Tiny little letters marked _KT & SD_ with a delicate heart surrounding it. It was nearly identical to the letters they had carved on the Great Oak out in the castle gardens so many years ago.

He felt Kuroo’s finger stroke his cheek, picking up a tear that had escaped without him noticing. His warm lips caressed his forehead, and a breath cascaded across his skin as he asked softly, “Daichi, will you marry me?”

“Yes...you idiot.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Bonus**

The muffled voices of the Karasuno Knights could be heard as they wandered by the door.

“Where the hell is Kageyama? Do you think he fell in a ditch?”

“Hinata, where around here have you seen a ditch? Think, where was the last place you saw him?”

“I don’t know, I’ve been with Kenma all morning, saying goodbye. I’m sorry Ennoshita-san.”

“Ah, don’t worry about it, Hinata!” Tanaka’s voice barreled through the thick door as Kageyama listened in the dark, his heart slamming against his chest as sweat trickled down his face. “We’ll find him, let’s just split up.”

“That’s a terrible idea,” Ennoshita’s voice said in a deadpan tone.

They continued discussing their options as their voices grew softer, walking further away from the very person they were searching for.

Kageyama gasped as he leaned his head back, hitting the side of the closet he was smashed into, heat swirling around in the claustrophobic space. He flexed his arms tighter around the ass that was moving up and down on his throbbing dick, just slow enough to keep an even pace, but quick enough to drive him out of his mind. He nearly slipped as he tried to adjust himself slightly on the narrow shelf he was sitting on, fear surging through him when he thought what would happen if he would lose his balance. Delicate fingers slid through his damp hair as warm lips met his in a series of searing hot kisses. The lips didn’t stop moving across his skin as they trailed past his cheek and encasing his ear.

“We need to hurry, _Kageyama_ ,” The soft voice purred in his ear, the hot breath sending waves of shivers down his body. He gripped his fingers into the man’s cheeks and began to force him up and down faster and harder. The sweet voice moaned in his ear, the hands dropping to his shoulders to dig fingers into his skin. He panted harshly as his sensations soared. No other feeling in the universe could compare as he came at the same time as his lover, gasping and clutching onto Kageyama’s strong body. He fell limp against him as they rested, coming down slowly from their high.

As Kageyama’s focus came back, he snuck his lips across his lover’s face toward his ears. Shyly he whispered, “You can call me Tobio… if you want.”

The head lifted slightly, and he heard a soft, happy sigh in the heated dark closet. “I’d like that, Tobio. And you can call me Keji.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus ends my story. I have to tell you, this has been one of my favorite things I’ve ever written. This story was grueling to get through simply because of the huge plot, I honestly did not plan on it being this hefty when I began that meager one shot that turned into the first chapter. Please let me know what you think, it’s really important to me to hear your thoughts.  
> As you read before, I do plan on expanding certain relationships in some separate one shots, so I have created a series to link them altogether. Make sure you subscribe or bookmark it so you can come back for my updates, and also follow me on tumblr (www.tumblr.com/blog/stacysmash) since I link almost all my stories there as well. Also if there’s a particular relationship you’d like to see and you haven’t told me yet, tell me!! Otherwise I may not even give it a second thought.  
> For everyone who’s been on this journey with me, thank you so much for sticking with me until the end! You have no idea how much I appreciate your support. :)  
> Oh, and I hoped you liked the sex bomb at the end, ha ha ha. I toyed with Kageyama getting his heart broken and had to assure you that the feeling was mutual. Akaashi doesn’t flaunt his feelings like Bokuto does ;)


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